Blog - Page 7 of 349

14 12, 2023

Texas Panhandle Non-Typical Buck

Clay Hanback2023-12-11T09:14:52-05:00December 14th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Texas Panhandle Non-Typical Buck

I shot this super-cool buck in North Texas, Wheeler County, a few days ago. Two biologists confirmed what I thought: that the non-typical left side of the rack was almost certainly caused by an injury to the buck’s body during the 2023 spring/summer antler-growing season. Most likely the buck injured one of his right legs. In what scientists call the “contralateral effect,” an injury to one side of the body often causes an antler deformity on the opposite side of the rack. Penn State biologists say the reasons for this are unknown. Exactly how the opposite-side antler will be altered from its original size or shape is anyone’s guess. In any event, I am extremely happy with this mature, funky [...]

13 12, 2023

How to Kill a Big Buck in 20 Acres

Clay Hanback2023-11-26T16:54:01-05:00December 13th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on How to Kill a Big Buck in 20 Acres

On a whim a few years ago, Indiana bowhunter Shawn Brinkman asked the landowner across the road from his house if he could hunt the guy’s 8.5-acre tract. “Sure,” the neighbor said, “Nobody else ever hunts it.” Next afternoon Shawn slipped into the woodlot with a lock-on stand on his back. He looked around and saw rubs, scrapes and beds everywhere! Super excited, Shawn hung his stand and climbed up. At 4:50 p.m. he spotted heavy antlers, and then the giant-bodied buck appeared. “He had no idea I was in his world,” said Shawn. He smoked the deer at 12 yards. “All it takes is one little piece of undisturbed woods to kill a big deer,” Shawn said. I could [...]

10 12, 2023

94-Year-Old Minn. Woman Shoots Buck

Clay Hanback2023-11-26T16:38:54-05:00December 10th, 2023|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting|Comments Off on 94-Year-Old Minn. Woman Shoots Buck

From the Bemidji Pioneer: Ninety-four-year-old Rosemary Pulczinski of Bemidji traded her walker in for a rifle this deer hunting season. Hunting with her Grandson one day, a spike stepped out 100 yards away, and Rosemary dropped it with a perfect shot. "Wow, I got my deer,” she said. “I shot once and I was ready to shoot again, but it stayed down. It was so great.” Pulczinski’s late husband, Cy, was the one who taught her how to hunt over 20 years ago. She said at first, she would only go out to the stand with him to keep him company when all of their children grew up and moved away but ended up finding passion in the sport, too. [...]

7 12, 2023

Will a Coyote Get the Deer You Shot?

Clay Hanback2023-11-26T16:16:17-05:00December 7th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|1 Comment

A friend texted from camp in Oklahoma one day last October: Guy shot a nice buck, but coyotes found it before we did, meat half gone. Another text from him two days later: Coyotes got another buck, this one in less than an hour and during middle of day…just like on the blog. A month earlier here on my Big Deer website, I had blogged about how coyotes were seemingly finding and devouring bowshot deer at an alarming rate. I asked people to share any such predator stories they had. Hunters from North Carolina to New York to Kansas wrote and confirmed that the new coyote dilemma is very real. Two examples: ---a buddy of mine arrowed a 160 class [...]

2 12, 2023

Deer Tactics for December 3-5

Clay Hanback2023-11-26T08:00:23-05:00December 2nd, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Guns & Loads, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Deer Tactics for December 3-5

For the last 5 years I have hunted in Oklahoma and/or Kansas (when I drew a tag) in early December. On all those hunts I witnessed good buck movement and some of the best rutting activity of the year. I’ve shot 5 mature bucks over that span, including this stunning 160-class giant in southeast Kansas last December 3. The early post-rut has become my most productive time, and I urge you not to miss these 3 days this season. Best conditions: This December 3-5 two things will work in your favor. While Sunday could be tricky, there will be noticeably less hunting pressure in your woods on Monday and Tuesday. On December 4, the moon will be waxing to last-quarter, [...]

Big Deer Blog

Texas Panhandle Non-Typical Buck

How to Kill a Big Buck in 20 Acres

94-Year-Old Minn. Woman Shoots Buck

Will a Coyote Get the Deer You Shot?

Deer Tactics for December 3-5