Clay Hanback, Author at Big Deer

17 03, 2021

Tips For Hunters Concerned With Lead In Venison

Clay Hanback2021-03-10T10:20:44-05:00March 17th, 2021|Big Deer TV, Deer Guns & Loads, Deer Hunting|Comments Off on Tips For Hunters Concerned With Lead In Venison

In our last post, we reported that the Minnesota Department of Agriculture found that some 7% of the venison donated to shelters has some level of lead contamination from bullets. If this issue concerns you, the Minnesota DNR offers these tips, which are relevant anywhere in the country. ENJOY YOUR HUNT Get out. Have fun. Nothing in the DNR’s lead bullet fragmentation study suggests you shouldn’t go deer hunting. TAKE LEAD EXPOSURE SERIOUSLY Pregnant women and children under six should never be placed in a situation where they could ingest lead particles. That’s because pregnant women and younger children are especially sensitive to lead exposure. They absorb most of the lead they take in, and the brains of infants and [...]

15 03, 2021

Are Lead Bullets Contaminating Your Venison?

Clay Hanback2021-03-16T06:45:44-04:00March 15th, 2021|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Guns & Loads, Deer Hunting|3 Comments

Back in 2008 when I was writing for Outdoor Life, I broke a story to our readers about potential lead contamination in deer meat. North Dakota, Minnesota and a few other states had allegedly found lead fragments from hunters’ bullets in ground venison donated to homeless shelters. The story caused controversy back then, with most people saying this was just a ruse by environmentalists to stop hunters from shooting lead bullets. Most people said that we have been eating deer shot with lead bullets for decades and it ain't harmed or killed anybody yet. I can’t argue with that. The lead issue kind of flamed out for a decade. I hadn’t heard much about it, until now. Kool 101.7 [...]

12 03, 2021

Tree Stand Maintenance Tips For Deer Hunters

Clay Hanback2021-03-10T10:59:21-05:00March 12th, 2021|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Tree Stand Maintenance Tips For Deer Hunters

Right or wrong, on private land, many of us leave our lock-ons and/or ladders up in trees and out in the woods all year, ready to hunt next fall. If you do this, here are some important things to keep in mind. The straps, chains or cables that connect the stands and steps to trees are your foremost consideration when left out in the elements. These connectors will weather and wear, and routine inspection and service is a must. Longtime BIG DEER blogger and tree stand guru Matt Cheever doesn’t skimp. On all 50 tree stands he maintains in Illinois, he uses 3 ratchet straps per climbing apparatus (ladder section or stick) and another 3 straps on each lock-on stand. [...]

9 03, 2021

Controlled (Prescribed) Burning For Wildlife

Clay Hanback2021-03-09T15:11:11-05:00March 9th, 2021|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Management, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Controlled (Prescribed) Burning For Wildlife

Adapted from the post “Controlled Burns Top Tool for Wildlife, Land Managers” by David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). The downtime and prime weather conditions between the end of the white-tailed deer season and the opening of (spring) turkey season (is the time) to conduct controlled (prescribed) burns. Steven Mitchell of the ADCNR said, “Dormant season, winter and early spring, is when most of our burning occurs… “Burns can be conducted during the dormant season or growing season accordingly and, when used in proper scale and frequency, can attain a wide collection of land management objectives. Another added benefit of controlled burning is the reduction of fire hazards and fuel loads, lowering the chance of wildfires.” [...]

8 03, 2021

New Lyme Disease Vaccine!

Clay Hanback2021-03-08T14:19:46-05:00March 8th, 2021|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, Hunting News|Comments Off on New Lyme Disease Vaccine!

Big news for hunters, fishers, hikers and all outdoorsmen! From Field & Stream.com: A Massachusetts doctor may have discovered a shot that will prevent Lyme disease in humans. The drug received federal approval from the Food and Drug Administration to be tested on people at the end of 2020. The Phase 1 clinical trial on 66 human subjects began last week. If effective, the shot will be available in the Spring of 2023. Click here for the details.

About Clay Hanback

Tips For Hunters Concerned With Lead In Venison

Are Lead Bullets Contaminating Your Venison?

Tree Stand Maintenance Tips For Deer Hunters

Controlled (Prescribed) Burning For Wildlife

New Lyme Disease Vaccine!