Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2025 i Deer & Deer Hunting

Visit us online: WWW.DEERANDDEERHUNTING.COM • Sign up for our free newsletter. • Watch D&DH videos and TV episodes. • Listen to Deer Talk Now podcasts. • Read breaking-news updates. • Renew your magazine subscription. • Shop for D&DH-branded apparel, Whitetail Rut Prediction® calendars, and more. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: Visit us on the web at www.deeranddeerhunting.com, or call (386) 246-3414 Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine publishes 10 issues per year, which may include an occasional special, combined or expanded issue that may count as two issues toward your subscription. ADVERTISING: Call Brad Rucks at (920) 284-8732 or send an email to him at brad.rucks@media360llc.com. For a media kit write to: Deer & Deer Hunting, P.O. Box 548, Waupaca, WI 54981. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Send letters to Daniel E. Schmidt, D&DH, P.O.…

Some hunters think chronic wasting disease is a deadly pathogen that has the potential to wipe out deer herds and destroy the quality of deer hunting across the country. For example, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, calls CWD, “The biggest threat to the future of deer hunting.” Other hunters think it’s, as Bill Shakespeare said, “Much ado about nothing.” They believe that state officials have exaggerated the effects of CWD on deer herds to encourage hunter buy-in of CWD management strategies – and to garner millions in funding to support CWD studies. Since 2016, researchers at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the University of Wisconsin – Madison, the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies have been conducting a longitudinal study of…

The question of whether one needs to shoot does often is answered more with raw emotions than pure data. I get it. Hunting is our shared passion, and we pour our blood, sweat and tears into it. The more one invests into anything the more deeply their opinions on the topic will tend to run. This is further complicated by the best answer varying from property to property, as well as the varying goals of the landowners. Frankly, what crop farmers see as too many deer and those ate up with hunting see aren’t often going to line up. Add it all up and it becomes easy to see why emotions run deep on both sides of the doe removal issue. We have varying goals, and the habitats vary in…

In a previous 2025 edition of Deer & Deer Hunting, there was an article about the 18-point buck my son Joe took in Kansas in 2024, and this is a follow-up article about the nearly impossible task of my son Jon and I making a return trip to successfully bow hunt in mid-December starting immediately the day after the Kansas rifle season ended. While Jon and I each saw 150 plus inch bucks that never presented opportunities on the November trip and each passed on a couple bucks that would have made the P&Y minimum of 125, we didn’t tag out and told each other we didn’t have time for a return trip. Sometimes plans quickly change and the day after we got home and got some much needed rest,…

Tanning your own deer hides is a great way to round out your skills as a hunter. Not only does it teach you something useful, but it means you’re taking steps to utilize every part of the animal. It’s also quite a process, one that requires not a little sweat and patience. To make things a bit simpler, I’ve put together this list of steps to the traditional tanning process with hair off (meaning you’re making usable leather). It’s an adventure, and I highly recommend taking the leap. HOW TANNING WORKS You’ll find myriad chemicals and natural substances used to tan hides, and just about everyone will proclaim their way is the best. Reality is you’ll need to find the method that suits your needs, time, and personal preferences—not to…

When D&DH cofounder Jack Brauer hired a one-person advertising coordinator in 1980, little did he know he had tapped a 25-year-old game-changer. Her name was Deborah Knauer. “Debbie had a vision — and a work ethic — like no other,” Brauer said in an interview the early 2000s. “She knew that we had something special here, and she was hell-bent on letting the world know about.” He was right. Within just two years, D&DH expanded its national reach, and subscriptions doubled. Readers were flocking to Editor Al Hofacker’s cutting-edge content. “Debbie kept telling me that we really wouldn’t know if the public would accept our magazine unless it was on newsstands,” Brauer said. “So, I went and talked to our local magazine distributor, and worked out an arrangement whereby they…

There’s a shoulder mount of a 140-class 8-pointer that occupies a place of honor on the wall of Don (Doc) Brugman’s home in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The head mount of that special whitetail represents three years of deer hunting memories that reflect the ups and downs so common during the hunt for North America’s premier big game animal. Part of the memories that mount conjures up in Brugman’s mind is how resilient mature bucks can be. When Don killed that buck, he thought it had died the year before. Tagging that ghost was important in helping solve the mystery of what happened the year before. Don had opportunities to kill that buck each of those three years, but failed the first and second times. When he was finally successful in…

1. DEDICATE SEVERAL days to scouting a preferred food source before hanging any stands. By observing deer activity in the morning and the evening, you can pinpoint the exact locations mature does use to navigate to and from these food sources. 2. HANG STANDS within shooting range of well-worn trails leading to and from bedding areas. Make sure the stands are hung well in advance (when possible), and always make sure they are downwind of the predicted activity. 3. DO NOT ENTER hunting areas during peak activity times (cusp of daylight on both ends). Get to the stand plenty early (90 minutes before first light, if possible) and leave late to avoid spooking deer and changing their patterns. 4. NEVER HUNT a stand or blind unless the wind direction is…

If you could only hunt a couple of hours a day during the rut, when would it be? Would it be dawn to 9 a.m.? How about the last two hours of the day? What about midday? As many Deer & Deer Hunting readers know, Charles Alsheimer studied whitetail behavior during rut for more than 30 years. He was particularly interested in the way the rutting moon cycles from year to year, and his work dealt with the effects that sunlight and moonlight have on whitetail rutting behavior. STUDYING DEER Contrary to what some might think, whitetails are not difficult to understand. They have basic needs that center around food, water, cover and their physiology. How deer move within their core areas depends largely on pressure from predators (man and…

I have read many articles that suggest strategies for hunting mast. Mast is a broad term used in this instance for the seeds (fruits and nuts) that fall to the ground. Mast forage is highly attractive to deer due to its palatability and relatively high digestible energy. Unfortunately, the opportunity to hunt during a mast is very limited in many northern states as it mostly drops prior to hunting seasons. The mast season I experienced typically ran from about September to October, with the bulk dropping in September and early October. Prior to some enlightenment, those six to eight weeks were the mast season to me. Only in an area with a high concentration of oak trees in a “mast year” did acorns persist long enough on the ground to…

Everyone who has deer hunted with bow and arrow has blown a shot opportunity – wherein we did something so wrong so early that we didn’t even get a shot. I think I’ve made most of those mistakes at one time or another. Regretted every single one, too, if I was aware of the error at the time. Most of these unknown mistakes – but not all of them – occur early in our bowhunting days. We’re still learning how to bowhunt. We know bowhunting almost always is a close-range sport with gear that doesn’t propel an arrow all that fast, nowhere near the speed of a bullet. We also know that the generally close quarters of a deer and us in an approaching shot opportunity, leave little or no…

MY FAVORITE DEER MOUNT One of the happiest moments in my long deer hunting history happened on the morning of 10 December, 2010. Although it was over 14 years back, I remember it clearly. I was comfortably settled in my favorite lock-on on a brushy creek bottom looking up at a cut-over about 4 years old. I was reading a book, as is my habit, when the big buck walked up on me at about 15 yards. Fortunately for me, the old guy was fixated on an estrous doe on the upper part of the hill, over a 60 yards away. I didn’t even have to think about shooting him, as I scrambled to get my rifle off its holder and my scope on the big guy. I had shot…

People often ask me which broadheads are best for big-game hunting. My answer? The choice is simply complex. If you remember that a broadhead has only one function — to cut a hole through hair, hide, muscle, and internal organs — and that to do so it must have blades sharp as a scalpel, be strong enough to withstand some serious abuse, and be designed and manufactured so precisely that it flies like a laser beam, you can eliminate the cheap stuff, choosing only from one of dozens of today’s high-quality broadheads with confidence. There are three basic types of modern broadheads: fixed (replaceable) blade, mechanical, and hybrid heads that combine both characteristics. Here’s a look at each. FIXED (REPLACEABLE) BLADE HEADS Replaceable-blade broadheads were developed to eliminate the need…

1 HODGDON – BLACKHORN POWDER When it comes to muzzleloader performance, Blackhorn 209 isn’t just another black powder substitute – it’s a game-changer. Engineered for modern inline muzzleloaders with sealed 209 ignition systems, this powder stands out for one simple reason: it delivers smokeless-like performance with muzzleloader flexibility. Unlike traditional black powder or pellets, Blackhorn 209 burns clean. We’re talking about minimal fouling, no dreaded crud ring, and a whole lot less swabbing between shots. That means more time shooting and less time cleaning – which is especially critical when that second shot needs to happen fast in the field. But it’s not just about cleanliness. Blackhorn 209 offers exceptional consistency, even across temperature and humidity swings. Whether you’re hunting in early October warmth or late-season chill, the powder stays…

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BRYAN LEMKE MINNESOTA On October 27, 2023, Bryan Lemke passed a big, wide 9-pointer. His mind was set on the buck he calls “Sticker 10.” He had three years of history with the latter, and he hoped to get a crack at the huge 5 ½-year-old deer. The next morning brought cool, crisp air and partly cloudy skies. His spot was along the edge of a cut cornfield and a large stretch of timber. A doe and fawn entered the open. Then, the big buck followed suit. He checked the doe and then started feeding in the cut corn. Lemke settled in and waited for his shot. The buck turned broadside and offered an opportunity. Lemke drew back, released the arrow, and made the 38-yard shot. The buck ran and crashed.…

Cervids (members of the deer family) living in open country, such as elk and mule deer, rely heavily upon visual displays and vocalizations when communicating information of social significance. In contrast, forest-dwelling white-tailed deer more commonly use glandular secretions and scent-marking, especially in conjunction with antler rubs and ground scrapes, commonly referred to as signposts. Scent marking and signpost communication is especially effective in dense forest cover, because chemical signals left on objects in the environment remain functional for lengthy periods in the maker’s absence. Typically, especially during the rut, mature bucks make most signposts to advertise their presence. Young males and females are the primary “readers. ” My observations, using antler rubs and mock ground scrapes, have revealed that visual attractiveness is also important in determining deer response to…

As I negotiated my truck in four-wheel-low over a slick South Texas ranch road on a foggy, drizzly December morning, an exceptional buck appeared in the distance like an apparition standing motionless on the side of the road. As my truck slid to a halt, I slowly exited to set up my spotting scope, but not before the deer disappeared into a sea of brush. Creeping up to where the buck disappeared into the thorn scrub, I exited the truck again, this time with a rifle, just in case I caught up to it and it was a keeper. Tracking over the damp clay soil was easy, and I found the buck browsing on regrowth on a recently shredded tank dam. At approximately 300 yards, the buck’s rack appeared large…

One deer hits the deck upon impact. Another runs a country mile before finally tipping over. Both were hit with the exact same distance, angle, and point of impact. What was different? Most likely — the bullet. Without question, it’s a bad day when you lose a deer, or track one a long way. But the deer hunters who know their gear better (ammo included) are more apt to experience success. “Deer hunting is an opportunity to harvest meat,” said Jared Kutney, vice president of operations with the Kinetic Group. “Deer are designed to survive, and you want a good bullet that offers the right amount of energy and penetration on target.” Thus, it’s good to understand bullet materials, bullet construction styles, bullet toughness, types of bullet tips, and more.…

High expectations run rampant among today’s hunters. In fact, it’s probably the No. 1 topic I run across on a daily basis working at Deer & Deer Hunting. North America’s antler craze is officially in high gear, and there really isn’t an end in sight. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. After all, we all thrill at the sight of a mature buck – but it borders on an unhealthy obsession when we let it cloud reality. Hunters who hunt pressured deer – be it on public land or small, overcrowded private parcels – often find themselves (usually knowingly) in the latter category because they simply expect too much from the hunting experience. No hunter in North America, especially the so-called celebrities, could regularly kill mature deer from most…

When I picture someone field-dressing a deer, I see them kneeling on the ground next to a deer positioned on its back, hooves in the air. They are holding a knife and have blood up to their elbows. There’s a big, gnarly pile of guts lying beside the carcass. To a new, novice or nonhunter, it’s likely grotesque, off-putting or both, but as most hunters learn from their elders, it’s the way. But now I know a different way and – dare I say – a better way. INSERT THE GUTLESS METHOD I don’t remember the first time I watched my husband, then boyfriend, disassemble a deer using “the gutless method,” but when I did, I remember thinking, “that’s way better than how we’ve always done it.” He hung the…

Everybody loves the idea of a flavorful venison meal cooked in one pot or pan. Let us count the reasons why. For starters, it is a prime way to celebrate your venison, especially meat from cuts like the front shoulder, shank, lower round (toward the hock of the back leg), and neck. One-pot recipes tenderize and flavorize the meat. Everything cooks in the same juices, creating deep, heart-warming taste. Consider simplicity too. There is something satisfying about doing the job in one cooking vessel. The whole process of cooking becomes more relaxed and enjoyable. No small part of all that satisfaction is the streamlined nature of the cleanup process. Sure, you’ll have knives, cutting boards and the like from preparation of ingredients…but no stack of pans looming beside the sink.…

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After graduating from high school many years ago, I joined the Air Force and left for basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. I found the training to be fairly easy. After all, I had been a farm boy and was in pretty good shape. Oddly enough, the one thing that impressed me about the military base — more than anything else — was the abundance of wildlife. I saw a lot of it because after basic training, I spent another four weeks in limbo living in transit barracks while waiting for high-level security clearance. I had a lot of time on my hands, so I roamed the base and saw many white-tailed deer that I would have loved to hunt. I guess the saying “everything…