Big Deer Blog

Some years ago Michigan biologist John Ozoga wrote a great book entitled, Whitetail Country. In it John points out that the first good-sized rubs--on trees 2 to 4 inches in diameter--that you find this September were made by bucks 3½ years or older to mark their home ranges and “to proclaim their control over a given area.” Other bucks and does will see the fresh blazes, and they might come over and lick or rub their heads on them. Those deer will get a whiff of the rub maker’s fore-head and salivary scent, and they’ll know who’s living there large and in charge. Finding clusters of rubs like that in September is a key strategy for your entire season. From late September [...]

From our friend Wren, who manages and hunts for big, mature whitetails on a low-fence ranch in South Texas: Mike: Photo of large non-typical taken on The Martinena out of Encinal by Lias Bubba Steen. His son Jennings is holding the buck. Bubba, Jennings and Jeff Steen had been hunting the buck since he was seen during one of our  helicopter surveys. Bubba and Jennings saw this deer the evening before he was harvested. Sometime overnight, the buck had broken off another short "beam" and a large drop-tine with kickers.—Regards, Wren Awesome buck, I would have loved to have seen that rack with a third beam and especially the drop! A buck breaking off points or even a beam overnight [...]

Perfect for trail-cam Monday, this monster is the coolest buck I have seen growing in 2015. Knowing my obsession with drop-tine bucks and junky racks in general, a hunter sent me the following: I thought you would enjoy this buck. Been after him for a few years. He has a storied history on our farm. I believe he’s 5 this year. He was a 4x6 last year with a small drop tine where his left brow tine should have been. I don’t know what all he has going on this year. I really hope to see him this fall. He has been completely nocturnal for the last two archery seasons. Good luck man, I hope this is your year. Look forward [...]