Clay Hanback, Author at Big Deer

10 02, 2021

Why Deer Shed Their Antlers Every Year

Clay Hanback2021-02-10T09:39:40-05:00February 10th, 2021|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science, Shed Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Why Deer Shed Their Antlers Every Year

Why do buck deer spend so much time and energy growing new antlers each spring and summer only to shed them 5 or 6 months later? Scientists have chewed on this for years, but “we still don’t know exactly why,” says noted whitetail biologist Dr. Mickey Hellickson, who points to a couple of theories. Some biologists believe bucks (whitetail and mule) shed their old racks each January or February so they’ll have the ability to replace antlers that might get damaged over the course of the year. If a buck had to live his entire life with snapped tines or a broken main beam, he couldn’t intimidate rivals or posture for does in the local hierarchy. A second theory suggests [...]

7 02, 2021

Vermont Deer Hunting: Record Muzzleloader Buck Shot in 2020

Clay Hanback2021-02-07T09:14:19-05:00February 7th, 2021|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Vermont Deer Hunting: Record Muzzleloader Buck Shot in 2020

From a post on Facebook: Devin Cota’s huge Caledonia County buck shot last season. Scored 159 7/8” Non-typical. Inside spread 24 6/8”. New state record non-typical muzzleloader buck. Congrats Devon! About Vermont whitetails An estimated 140,000 whitetails are found statewide. Known as a species that prefers forest edge, they occur in highest numbers in habitats that feature a blend of large woodlots and agricultural openings. Deer also are found in more limited numbers in the expansive forests of the Green Mountains and the Northeast Kingdom. In its northern range, winter areas or "deer yards" are a critically important habitat type for deer to survive through the cold winter. Only 7 to 8% of Vermont's forests make up such wintering areas. [...]

5 02, 2021

4 Ways To Get Rid Of Old Or Bad Ammunition

Clay Hanback2021-02-05T09:59:37-05:00February 5th, 2021|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Guns & Loads, Deer Hunting|Comments Off on 4 Ways To Get Rid Of Old Or Bad Ammunition

With the ammo shortage that will extend into to the end of 2021 and likely beyond, millions of shooters and hunters are having to dig deep in their basements and gun cabinets to come up with a few boxes of cartridges to use. Cartridges that might be 5, 10 or more years old. As long as old ammo is stored properly it will generally be good for many years. But sometimes old cartridges can corrode and should not be fired, but rather discarded. Or maybe you’re moving or simply cleaning out your hunting/shooting room, and have boxes and loose rounds of old ammunition that you don’t feel comfortable using. Never throw old ammunition out in the trash, or in [...]

3 02, 2021

Never Take A Head Shot At Deer!

Clay Hanback2021-02-03T11:21:50-05:00February 3rd, 2021|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|1 Comment

Nobody in his right mind tries to shoot a deer in the head with a bow/arrow/broadhead. But occasionally a bowhunter takes a poor-angle shot, or a buck dips and whirls while an arrow is in the air. The unfortunate result is a broadhead that smacks a deer in the skull. One time in Maryland a hunter dropped a 8-point with a perfect lung shot. The deer wasn’t big enough for a shoulder mount, so he sawed into the skull to do a European. Look what he found in the before and after pictures below. Sunk just below the right eye socket and into the honey-combed nasal area was a piece of an arrow with a 3-blade broadhead. I figure the arrow [...]

2 02, 2021

How To Take Great Pictures Of A Buck You Shoot

Clay Hanback2021-02-01T08:34:17-05:00February 2nd, 2021|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, sportsman channel, whitetail deer|Comments Off on How To Take Great Pictures Of A Buck You Shoot

I can’t imagine not pulling out my phone and taking some pictures of every buck I shoot. Whether it’s a 6-pointer or big 10, every deer and the hunt for it is a treasure. Good photos help you preserve the memories. Notice I said GOOD photos. And RESPECTABLE ones. Here’s how to take them: Pose with a deer in the natural setting where you shot it--oak ridge, river bottom, swamp, etc. Try to avoid roads or houses in the background. Photos of a buck or your mowed lawn or worse, in the bed of a pickup, aren’t great. Position the deer so that the sun shines on its hide and rack. That puts the sun somewhere at cameraman’s back and [...]

About Clay Hanback

Why Deer Shed Their Antlers Every Year

Vermont Deer Hunting: Record Muzzleloader Buck Shot in 2020

4 Ways To Get Rid Of Old Or Bad Ammunition

Never Take A Head Shot At Deer!

How To Take Great Pictures Of A Buck You Shoot