Clay Hanback, Author at Big Deer

5 09, 2025

Which Rattling Horns Work Best?

Clay Hanback2025-08-26T11:54:40-04:00September 5th, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, Gear Reviews, whitetail deer|0 Comments

Question from a reader: Mike, what kind of rattling antlers do you use? Do the little bags and boxes work, or are they gimmicks?—Joe from PA Joe: I use a set of 140-class sheds from a mature buck I missed with my bow out on the Milk River some years ago. A buddy found the sheds the spring after I missed the old deer the previous October and made the set for me. (Picture shows me with those sheds and a buck I rattled in but did not miss this time:) Those horns are perfect, with good mass and thick tines to make the deep thudding and grinding sounds of two mature bucks locked up. You need a good-size set, [...]

1 09, 2025

How to Remove Rust from a Gun

Clay Hanback2025-08-26T11:40:18-04:00September 1st, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Guns & Loads, trijicon|0 Comments

You know you should store all your handguns and rifles in a locked safe, or at least in a cool, dry place, with a dehumidifier running for good measure if there is a hint of moisture (as in a basement). But if you do pull out one of your guns and see a few spots of rust on the barrel or receiver, here’s an interesting way to remove it. From Range 365, which has a collection of great gun videos: The trick…is finding a penny minted before 1982, which were 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc. To start you need some light oil (good old 3-in-1 will do just fine), a medium brass-bristle cleaning brush, some paper towels, and [...]

29 08, 2025

Daniel Nelson’s 2024 Illinois Giant Buck, 200 2/8 Gross NT

Clay Hanback2025-08-26T11:27:03-04:00August 29th, 2025|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|0 Comments

Todays' great guest blog from BIG DEER field reporter Dean Weimer: In the lead up to last year’s deer season, Daniel Nelson’s cousin Lance sent some images of a bucks he was seeing on his new hunting property. Daniel thought that one buck in particular might be in the 145-150-class. A few days later Daniel received a better picture of the deer, and realized he was looking at a buck that was more likely in the 170s. That is when both Daniel and Lance, who have hunted together for 23 years, became more interested in the buck. And with each new image of the buck that the guys got, Daniel thought he might like to hunt him. The only issue [...]

26 08, 2025

What Determines a Buck’s Antler Color?

Clay Hanback2025-08-26T10:32:31-04:00August 26th, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science, whitetail deer|0 Comments

Question from a reader: Mike, I hunt deer on a ranch in eastern Wyoming. Some of the bucks have blonde antlers; others have chocolate-brown racks. Why is this? Seems like the dark antlers are slightly more common on bigger bucks. I've also seen this difference in the whitetails I've hunted back home in Minn.--Tim Tim, biologists say antler coloration is determined by several things, including: (1) buck age. younger bucks tend to have lighter-colored antlers. Older, more dominant bucks often have darker antlers. But this is not set in stone. (2) bark coloration of the predominant rubbing trees in a region. Bucks that rub light-colored trees, like aspen, have light antlers, while bucks that blaze pines and cedars with sap [...]

21 08, 2025

2025 Outbreak of EHD Killing Deer in Ohio

Clay Hanback2025-08-21T14:02:15-04:00August 21st, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Hunting News, whitetail deer|1 Comment

Ohio is seeing significant EHD outbreaks of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD), with confirmed cases and reports of dead or sick deer across multiple counties. The 2025 outbreaks are linked to ongoing drought conditions in Ohio, which favor midge proliferation and drive deer to congregate near water sources, increasing transmission. Confirmed EHD cases in 2025 include Athens, Washington, Union, Morrow, Fairfield, Guernsey, and Meigs counties, with Athens and Washington reporting the highest number of cases (over 50 reports near the Pennsylvania border). Additional counties with suspected cases include Brown, Highland, Hocking, Morgan, Noble, and Monroe. Franklin County also experienced significant EHD mortality, impacting deer harvests. In Coolville (Athens County), residents reported up to 15 dead deer since mid-July, earlier [...]

About Clay Hanback

Which Rattling Horns Work Best?

How to Remove Rust from a Gun

Daniel Nelson’s 2024 Illinois Giant Buck, 200 2/8 Gross NT

What Determines a Buck’s Antler Color?

2025 Outbreak of EHD Killing Deer in Ohio