Big Deer Stories Archives - Page 59 of 113

26 06, 2017

Bad Tick Summer: Beware Powassan Virus

admin2020-06-10T09:16:11-04:00June 26th, 2017|Big Deer Stories, BigDeer, Deer Hunting|2 Comments

After the mild winter of 2016 in many regions, some experts are predicting a longer and more severe tick season this summer. Warm winters are easy on mice and deer, the animals that ticks typically infest. A greater number of ticks survived the mild winter, and an early spring awakened dormant insects sooner. There is concern this will trigger an increase in tick-borne illnesses. Researchers are especially worried about an uptick in Lyme disease and the Powassan virus, a rare condition that can cause brain inflammation. While you have heard of Lyme disease—there were more than 28,000 cases in 2015, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—the Powassan virus is still rare. Only 75 cases have [...]

22 06, 2017

Rage Broadheads Protected From Chinese Knockoffs

admin2020-06-10T09:16:11-04:00June 22nd, 2017|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting|5 Comments

FeraDyne Outdoors announces that the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued a powerful General Exclusion Order (GEO) that will protect FeraDyne’s popular Rage broadheads from foreign patent and trademark infringement. The GEO, which takes effect immediately, empowers more than 20,000 Customs & Border Protection Officers at more than 300 U.S. ports of entry to identify and bar from entry all foreign-made broadheads that violate Rage patents and trademarks. In 2006 FeraDyne released the original slip-cam Rage (pictured), which changed the face of the archery-broadhead business, especially as pertains to deer hunting. The original Rage quickly became the market leader and has since been joined by a growing line of patented Rage broadheads, all of which are designed and manufactured [...]

21 06, 2017

Pre-Season Tip: How to Hang a Tree Stand in the Woods

admin2020-06-10T09:16:11-04:00June 21st, 2017|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting|1 Comment

While Montana bowhunter Luke Strommen prefers to hunt big bucks on the fringes of fields when possible, he realizes that hanging sets back in the woods is an integral part of the game. “In mid-season, by hunting back in the woods a ways, you can catch the bucks that come off a field early and first in the morning--these are usually the most mature and the largest deer. And these stands can be anytime-of-day stands, where you might shoot a buck morning, midday or evening.” In a woods-hunting situation, you have to get to your stand very early, morning or afternoon advises Luke. “You have to pick your poison because it is difficult to pick a trail to your stand where [...]

19 06, 2017

Pre-Season Tip: How to Set Tree Stands Around Fields

admin2020-06-10T09:16:11-04:00June 19th, 2017|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting|2 Comments

Luke Strommen, who you might have seen shoot some great bucks with his longbow on my TV shows, is one of the best field hunters I know. The habitat he hunts in northeastern Montana is a patchwork of huge alfalfa and wheat fields stitched with woodlots and strips. He has had to master the technique of setting his stands for close shots (15 yards or so) w/his longbow. He’s one the best I’ve seen at it, and here’s his advice to help with your stand sets this fall. “I always try to hunt from trees on the fringes, edges and funnels around fields and stay out of the woods if I can, especially early in the season,” says Luke. “This will [...]

14 06, 2017

2017 Deer Update: How Are Mule Deer Doing?

admin2020-06-10T09:16:12-04:00June 14th, 2017|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Management, Deer Science, Mule Deer|Comments Off on 2017 Deer Update: How Are Mule Deer Doing?

At the 2017 North American Deer Summit last week, Jim Heffelfinger of the Arizona Game and Fish Department reported on the status of the mule deer across the American West. Mule deer went through tough times in the 1990s, and populations declined in many areas. More than 20 years later most people still think mule deer numbers are down, “but actually there’s good news,” said Jim. “Mule deer populations have been trending up, and are stable or increasing slightly in most states.” Jim pointed to Utah, Idaho and California as bright spots, with herds on the slight rise. But he did acknowledge that the winter of 2016 was brutal in parts of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, where there should be [...]