Clay Hanback, Author at Big Deer

27 07, 2022

Confessions of an Elk-A-Holic

Clay Hanback2022-07-27T10:48:44-04:00July 27th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer|Comments Off on Confessions of an Elk-A-Holic

Confessions of an Elk-A-Holic By Jack Atcheson, Sr. with Michael Hanback Author’s note: Jack Atcheson. Sr. shot more bull elk on public land than any other hunter in North America. Jack was one of the top hunting consultants in the nation when I began my writing career 35 years ago; he took me under his wing and we enjoyed many long, tough DIY elk and mule deer hunts together. Jack passed away December 27, 2017 at age 85. My friend and I wrote this article together for Outdoor Life in 2001. When I was 15, I worked for a lumber company and lived alone in a tent in the Montana woods for a few years. That might sound rough for [...]

25 07, 2022

Find New Land To Hunt Big Deer

Clay Hanback2022-07-25T08:45:44-04:00July 25th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, sportsman channel, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Find New Land To Hunt Big Deer

The walls are lined with racks, big ones. Tacked between the sneakers and skull mounts are ink-stained aerial photos and framed prints of the same 40-something guy with the cheesy grin, his hands clamped on the beams of a dozen giant bucks. Topo maps are rolled and stacked in a corner by the gun safe. Shed antlers litter the floor like old bones in a cave. This is my buddy’s war room, the place where he goes to plot his hunts. Walk in, gawk the heads, and you’ll wonder, Iowa, Saskatchewan, Kansas? “Nah, I killed ‘em all right around here,” Rick says. “Most came from the woodlot just down the road.” Rick’s story is not uncommon among America’s top everyday [...]

22 07, 2022

9 Bowhunting Hacks For Early Deer Season

Clay Hanback2022-07-18T08:53:12-04:00July 22nd, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|1 Comment

To reduce hand pressure and torque that can throw arrows off line, hold your bow with a relaxed, open palm grip. When you relax your bow-holding hand your entire body tends to follow suit and loosen up, which makes you shoot more accurately. Screw broadheads into the 5 arrows you’ll carry in your hunting quiver. Shoot every arrow into a broadhead. You’ll find that 2 or 3 of those arrows fly truer than the rest, especially if you still use fixed heads. Mark those shafts 1,2 and 3. Those should be the first ones you hunt with. Is your peep sight right? To find out, clip your release to the string, close your eyes, draw your bow and anchor. Open [...]

20 07, 2022

“Clover Roads”: Easy Food Plots For Deer

Clay Hanback2022-07-18T08:28:48-04:00July 20th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Management, whitetail deer|Comments Off on “Clover Roads”: Easy Food Plots For Deer

If you hunt deer on 200 acres or more of private timber, you probably have several logging roads that crisscross the property. Map out a couple flat road sections that are secluded near the center of your woods and turn them into “clover roads.” Planting 500 to 1,000 yards of open logging road is like putting in a half-acre or one-acre food plot, and with minimal work it’s a no-brainer. With an ATV or UTV and a weighted drag, ride the roads and break up the soil, then plant them with a proven attractant like Imperial Whitetail Clover. A couple things to consider. Plant accessible but hidden stretches of roads--deep in your woods, and out of sight of a county [...]

18 07, 2022

How Many Tree Stands Do You Need To Hunt Deer On 100 Acres?

Clay Hanback2022-07-18T08:00:26-04:00July 18th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting|Comments Off on How Many Tree Stands Do You Need To Hunt Deer On 100 Acres?

As a general rule, hang 3 to 5 tree stands across a 100-acre block of whitetail timber. Spread out those stands to cover as many food sources, travel corridors and staging/bedding thickets as you can, and to have options for hunting all the different winds. Keep these 5 things in mind when setting those stands: A solid tree about 15 inches in diameter is perfect. It is easy and safe to get your arms around as you set steps, climb and hang a perch with a strap or chain. Once you’re up, a tree as wide as your body breaks your silhouette, but it is thin enough so that you can turn and look around for incoming deer. Once you’ve [...]

About Clay Hanback

Confessions of an Elk-A-Holic

Find New Land To Hunt Big Deer

9 Bowhunting Hacks For Early Deer Season

“Clover Roads”: Easy Food Plots For Deer

How Many Tree Stands Do You Need To Hunt Deer On 100 Acres?