Clay Hanback, Author at Big Deer

31 03, 2022

Alabama Chronic Wasting Disease Update: “We Didn’t Kill All The Deer”

Clay Hanback2022-03-31T13:36:04-04:00March 31st, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, CWD, Deer Hunting, Hunting News, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Alabama Chronic Wasting Disease Update: “We Didn’t Kill All The Deer”

As we reported earlier this year, on January 7, 2022, the first-ever case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Alabama was confirmed in a deer shot in Lauderdale County in the far northwestern part of the state. Wildlife officials immediately designated all of Lauderdale and neighboring Colbert County as the state’s first CWD Management Zone (CMZ). With only 30 days left in the 2021-22 hunting season, and with the need to acquire as many blood and tissue samples from deer as possible to determine the prevalence of the disease, officials removed all daily and seasonal bag limits in the CMZ. Most hunters in the area were happy to follow the science and shoot some deer, but a vocal minority [...]

28 03, 2022

Saskatchewan Hunter Finds 200-Inch Sheds In Road Ditch

Clay Hanback2022-03-29T13:06:30-04:00March 28th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Shed Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Saskatchewan Hunter Finds 200-Inch Sheds In Road Ditch

From our friends at North American Whitetail: “I was driving down a road that I know has a lot of deer activity along it,” says Ryan Reddekopp. “The road ran between two community pastures, so I could pick up any sheds that I saw lying along the road.” There was a heavily used deer trail along the road, so Ryan kept his eyes on the trail and a ditch along the road the best he could. Then something caught his eye where the deer trail crossed the fence. “Something just didn’t look right,” remembers Ryan. “I originally second-guessed it, but about 100 yards after passing the spot I backed up. Sure enough, I saw a shed sticking out of the [...]

24 03, 2022

Pennsylvania Hunters Killed 376,810 Deer In 2021-22

Clay Hanback2022-03-24T12:08:37-04:00March 24th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, Hunting News, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Pennsylvania Hunters Killed 376,810 Deer In 2021-22

Hanback note: Since some 900,000 people hunt deer in Pennsylvania each year (number of hunters is second only to Texas in the U.S.) the annual Pennsylvania harvest numbers are a big deal. Of the 376,810 deer killed during the 2021-22 season, the Pennsylvania Game Commission reports that 145,320 were bucks, and 231,490 were does. The total harvest was down about 13 percent compared to 2020-21, when hunters recorded the largest deer kill in 16 years (435,180 animals). Some highlights: • 22 percent of licensed hunters in Pennsylvania killed a buck last year. • 62 percent of the bucks were 2.5 years old or older; only 38% percent were 1.5 years old. That’s an almost complete reversal of how things were [...]

22 03, 2022

Scout For Deer While You Hunt Turkeys THis Spring

Clay Hanback2022-03-22T09:30:07-04:00March 22nd, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, sportsman channel, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Scout For Deer While You Hunt Turkeys THis Spring

The turkey was gobbling hard two ridges over. I dropped down into a creek bottom, waded the water, marched up the next hill and came upon a big thicket I’d never seen before. I’d hunted both turkeys and deer on this property for years, but had never spent much time over here in the east end. The shortest way to close the distance to the gobbling bird was straight through the jumble of honeysuckle and greenbrier. I spotted a deer trail and followed it in. As I ducked through the cover I noticed dozens of antler-scarred trees and saplings. I stepped over old scrapes. Lots of tracks and droppings. I made a mental note to come back later in the [...]

16 03, 2022

Indiana Hunter Finds Huff Buck’s Last Set Of Sheds!

Clay Hanback2022-03-16T13:04:08-04:00March 16th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, Shed Hunting, sportsman channel, whitetail deer|2 Comments

Field report from Dean Weimer of the Big Deer Hunt Team: I was recently at the 2022 Indianapolis Boat, Sport, and Travel Show measuring deer for Indiana's Hoosier Record Buck Program. I noticed a large pair of shed antlers that were tied together with a piece of blue rope on the entry table and my brain instantly thought it recognized the sheds. I'm not sure what it is, but when I see a rack or set of antlers that I've seen before, my brain seems to instantly recognize them. I don't know if there is a term for this, but I'm guessing many of you experience this also. At any rate I found out the gentleman who had the sheds [...]

About Clay Hanback

Alabama Chronic Wasting Disease Update: “We Didn’t Kill All The Deer”

Saskatchewan Hunter Finds 200-Inch Sheds In Road Ditch

Pennsylvania Hunters Killed 376,810 Deer In 2021-22

Scout For Deer While You Hunt Turkeys THis Spring

Indiana Hunter Finds Huff Buck’s Last Set Of Sheds!