Clay Hanback, Author at Big Deer

15 02, 2022

Big Deer’s Moon-Rut Guide Spot On For Two Giant Bucks

Clay Hanback2022-02-15T11:51:52-05:00February 15th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Big Deer’s Moon-Rut Guide Spot On For Two Giant Bucks

Last September we posted that in a fall like 2021 with two “rutting moons”—October 20 and the second was November 19—the pump was primed for a classic “trickle rut” in the whitetail woods. We predicted that some adult does would cue off the first full moon and come into estrous in late October while other does would cue off the November full moon and be ready to breed in mid-to-late November. In between those full moons and time frames you would see ebbs and flows of rutting activity. Testimonials After the 2021 bow season Big Daddy wrote to us via Messenger: Mike, last year you predicted a good rut after the full moon in October. Here in northern Pennsylvania, you [...]

11 02, 2022

Are Whitetail Bucks Becoming More Nocturnal Than Ever?

Clay Hanback2022-02-11T08:58:54-05:00February 11th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Are Whitetail Bucks Becoming More Nocturnal Than Ever?

I’ve been both awed and frustrated by the nocturnal tendencies of mature bucks for years, but last season was ridiculous. Everywhere I went, from Virginia to Canada to Indiana, bucks 3 years of age and older showed up on trail camera at night but moved little and randomly in daylight hours. On all the lands I hunted, human pressure, which can turn bucks nocturnal overnight, was light to nonexistent. Was this just me, or were other hunters experiencing the same? “We saw exactly the same thing on our north-central Pennsylvania farm,” said biologist Kip Adams with the National Deer Association. “I know of many folks in the eastern half of the U.S experienced the same thing. I firmly believe it [...]

10 02, 2022

Gear Review: Case® Winkler Skinner Knife

Clay Hanback2022-02-10T09:06:19-05:00February 10th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Gear Reviews, sportsman channel|Comments Off on Gear Review: Case® Winkler Skinner Knife

The sleek design of the Case® Winkler Skinner is the result of a long career in knife making by Master Bladesmith Daniel Winkler and the experiences of retired U.S. Army Special Operator and Navy SEAL Kevin “Skinner” Holland. This handcrafted knife is the first in a series of collaborations that celebrate American Heroes, an idea brought to life by Case’s historic military contributions and Winkler Knives’ ongoing involvement with U.S. Special Operations. This fixed-blade knife is lightweight (6.7 ounces), well-balanced and impressively sturdy. The sculpted, multi-camo handle with finger grooves fit my hand perfectly as I gutted, skinned and caped an Alabama buck. The flat ground, distal tapered trailing point blade (5.2 inches) is made from 80CrV2 steel, known for [...]

8 02, 2022

How Many Whitetail Bucks Do Hunters Shoot Each Season?

Clay Hanback2022-02-08T11:33:27-05:00February 8th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Hunting News, whitetail deer|Comments Off on How Many Whitetail Bucks Do Hunters Shoot Each Season?

The National Deer Association (NDA) reports that hunters across the United States killed an estimated 3,041,544 bucks in the 2020-21 season, the most in 21 years. “2020 saw the highest buck harvest in the new century, and amazingly we estimate that we set another new record for the percentage of those bucks that were 3½ years old or older,” said Kip Adams, NDA’s Chief Conservation Officer. “U.S. hunters are taking fewer yearling bucks and killing more of them as mature deer, but this doesn’t mean fewer bucks harvested overall. We’re killing older bucks and more bucks than ever in America.” Nationally, the antlerless harvest (does and buck fawns) jumped 12% in 2020-21 to 3,207,937, reversing a three-year decline and putting [...]

4 02, 2022

Show Respect When You Shoot A Deer

Clay Hanback2022-01-30T10:13:29-05:00February 4th, 2022|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting|4 Comments

One time I guided a young man named Jimmy who made a fine shot a nice buck. As the deer wobbled and pitched over dead, he looked at me and started hollering and shaking his fist, “He’s down, he’s down…!” Yes, I can see that. As we walked up to the deer, Jimmy strutted round and round, pumping his fist and screaming, “Yeah, yeah, hell yeah!” Like he was performing an end zone dance in a football game. I thought he might spike his rifle any minute. Okay, now that is enough. I took the gun from Jimmy and double checked that it was unloaded. Jimmy is a good “kid,” 20 something, but he had watched too many hunting shows [...]

About Clay Hanback

Big Deer’s Moon-Rut Guide Spot On For Two Giant Bucks

Are Whitetail Bucks Becoming More Nocturnal Than Ever?

Gear Review: Case® Winkler Skinner Knife

How Many Whitetail Bucks Do Hunters Shoot Each Season?

Show Respect When You Shoot A Deer