Big Deer Blog

2020 moon phases: Full October 31…last quarter November 8…new (dark) November 15…first quarter November 22...full November 30 I’m a moon fanatic. Over the last 30 years I’ve spent more than 1,000 days in deer stands across North America during the magic month of November, during every imaginable moon phase, during all the waxing and waning days. Though many researchers and hunters don’t put much stock in the moon and its effects on whitetails and the rut, my journal notes and personal observations say differently. I believe there is a little something to the lunar phases and how they impact the movements of rutting deer. Here are my 2020 predictions. Use them to plan your upcoming rut-hunting vacation. No trick but [...]

Fine guest blog from Tracy Kelsoe, who lives and hunts in Lawrence County, Alabama: Have you ever heard of someone who would not hunt a 188” buck? Well, I’m that guy. The reason I would not hunt the buck is because I wanted my dad, Clifton Kelsoe, who was 82 years old at the time, to take him. We had trail came pics of this deer for 3 years. No daylight pics. Dad killed him on December 7th 2016. He shot the buck at 200 yards, not bad for an 82-year-old. The buck had over 50” of mass. We took it to the Birmingham deer show where it took first place non-typical and third place typical. The buck’s final score [...]