Clay Hanback, Author at Big Deer

25 11, 2019

How To Still-Hunt A Buck Deer

Clay Hanback2020-06-10T09:14:52-04:00November 25th, 2019|BigDeer, Deer Guns & Loads, Deer Hunting, Mule Deer, whitetail deer|Comments Off on How To Still-Hunt A Buck Deer

One of my hunting mentors of the 1990s was Jack Atcheson Sr., a renowned hunting consultant and taxidermist from Montana who has hunted on 5 continents and shot as many head of game as any man on earth, from Cape buffalo to elk to sheep to all the varieties of North American deer, and some big ones. One time on a wilderness backpack hunt for mule deer, Jack told me we were going to still-hunt and stalk the entire week, and he was going to teach me how to do it. “I’ve been hunting deer for 25 years,” I reminded him with a smirk. “Yeah, but this week you’re gonna learn how to do it right.” On day one, we [...]

22 11, 2019

How To Grunt Up A Buck

Clay Hanback2020-06-10T09:14:52-04:00November 22nd, 2019|BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Rut, Deer Science, whitetail deer|Comments Off on How To Grunt Up A Buck

One afternoon in Iowa, Pat Strawser sat in his stand and watched some does and small bucks enter a picked cornfield. A heavy 7-pointer popped into view, followed by more does. “I was trying to keep track of all the deer when a huge buck strode into the field,” said Pat. “He pinned his ears back and marched toward the Big 7.” The hunter grabbed his grunter and went to work. He called several times--nothing. Gradually he increased the volume and intensity of his calls until both the mature bucks picked up their heads and looked his way. “They were about 125 yards out,” says Pat. “Once I had their attention, I gave even louder grunts and then a snort-wheeze. [...]

20 11, 2019

Hunt The Rut: What Is A “Buck Excursion?”

Clay Hanback2020-06-10T09:14:52-04:00November 20th, 2019|BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Hunt The Rut: What Is A “Buck Excursion?”

A recent post at QDMA starts out like this: One thing researchers have deciphered in recent years using GPS technology is a somewhat new behavior that white-tailed deer do called an excursion, which is a brief trip or trips outside their established home range. This behavior especially occurs during the rut, and I have a personal story from the 2018 season to prove it. We have been running 8-10 trail cameras for years on a 1,000-acre farm in the Virginia Piedmont. Imagine our shock and excitement when we checked a card and saw one image of this awesome buck from November 18, obviously an older deer with a ton of character. We had never seen this freak before, no images [...]

18 11, 2019

Outdoor Life’s 101 Best Tips For Hunting The Deer Rut

Clay Hanback2020-06-10T09:14:52-04:00November 18th, 2019|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Rut, whitetail deer|1 Comment

Back in the early 2000s, before I had my own TV show and started the Big Deer Blog, I was the Deer Hunting Editor for Outdoor Life (OL) magazine. I had that dream gig for nearly a decade and wrote 100s of columns and dozens of feature articles for the magazine, back in the days when people still bought and read paper magazines. Then came TV and YouTube and blogging, and I drifted away from OL and the other hunting publications I wrote for, many of are now, sadly, defunct. Funny how things have a way of coming full circle. I majored in English in college long ago, and writing has always been my passion and still is. So a [...]

15 11, 2019

Flashlight Review: Fenix PD35TAC For Hunters

Clay Hanback2020-06-10T09:14:52-04:00November 15th, 2019|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Gear Reviews|Comments Off on Flashlight Review: Fenix PD35TAC For Hunters

Let me get right to the point. I have tested and used hundreds of lights in the outdoors over the years, from cheap headlamps to high-tech flashlights and lanterns that cost hundreds of dollars. I have finally found the best and most versatile one for use in the outdoors, including deer hunting. And its affordable. As its name implies, the Fenix PD35TAC is designed for tactical employment, but the developers cleverly added an Outdoor Mode for multipurpose illumination, making it great for hunters, hikers and campers. Specs and Features At 5½ inches long and weighing just 89 grams, this compact flashlight is the right size for hunters who juggle a good amount of gear on the walk or from a [...]

About Clay Hanback

How To Still-Hunt A Buck Deer

How To Grunt Up A Buck

Hunt The Rut: What Is A “Buck Excursion?”

Outdoor Life’s 101 Best Tips For Hunting The Deer Rut

Flashlight Review: Fenix PD35TAC For Hunters