16
05, 2014
16
05, 2014
Should it be a Felony to Hunt Deer Without Permission?
From the US Sportsmen’s Alliance: A bill being considered in the Rhode Island legislature would make hunting for deer on private land without permission a felony level offense. …House Bill 7858 would also require jail time (up to two years) for anyone who hunts deer on private land without written permission. The state’s Department of Environmental Management and Rhode Island sportsmen’s clubs have testified against the bill as being “unnecessary and excessively punitive.” I agree. While I hate those who knowingly trespass and poach as much as anybody this bill has the potential for trouble. You know how difficult it can be to determine exact property lines in the woods. Some (most) are not clearly marked and/or posted. Suppose you [...]
14
05, 2014
Should Pen-Raised Bucks Be Let into the Wild?
This is one of 33 interesting deer-research findings in this QMDA article: $115,000: The estimated cost to produce a 1-inch increase in average Boone & Crockett score among a localized population of free-ranging bucks by releasing pen-raised deer to improve genetics. Dr. Steve Demarais of Mississippi State University conducted the computer-model study (using existing data on natural dispersal and immigration, breeding success, recruitment, and survival, plus the costs of buying pen-raised deer) in response to recent suggestions by deer breeders that this practice would be beneficial. Most biologists laughed at the idea, but they had little data to stand on. Now they do. That ridiculous amount of money aside, the idea of releasing tame bucks into the woods is preposterous. What [...]
13
05, 2014
“Hunt your own way…”
Back when I was working for Versus, now the NBC Sports Network, I posted this picture of Chad Christie’s incredible monster. Two reasons. One, I am absolutely obsessed with drop-tine bucks, and this just might be the most impressive one I have ever seen. I wonder if I could hold it together if I saw that thing coming through the woods at me?Two, I asked Chad to get in touch with me because I’d love to profile his buck here on the blog and on TV. I never heard from Chad, but some guy named Dave chimed in: Why would you want to put this guy on TV? I hate gun season because they (gun hunters) only go out opening weekend, sit [...]
12
05, 2014
Iowa’s #4 Typical Buck
We love scanned photographs of old giant whitetails. Thanks to Mike C. for posting this one to our BIG DEER Facebook page: “How would u like to have this giant Iowa buck hanging in ur garage after season? This monster, a rare 7x7 typical, had a 210-inch frame and a final net of 196 4/8. Killed by Michael Edle in SE Iowa in 1989, an extreme cold year (like the winter just passed). If it wasn’t for a couple of sticker points this deer would likely have been Iowa's state record. I checked the B&C records. Shot 25 years ago, the amazing Edle Buck is #4 in Iowa and the 46th biggest typical ever shot in North America.