27 03, 2017

2017: It’s a Tough Economy for the Gun & Hunting Industry Right Now

2020-06-10T09:16:30-04:00March 27th, 2017|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Guns & Loads, Deer Hunting, Gear Reviews, Hunting News, Remington|12 Comments

The health care chaos last week on Capitol Hill notwithstanding, things have been looking pretty good since President Trump’s election last November. The stock market is up and consumer confidence is high as the President reduces burdensome regulations on business and moves to act on tax reform this summer. But ironically the election of our first pro-gun president in 8 years has slowed the sale of firearms and softened the overall shooting/hunting market. In recent years, with anti-gun Barack Obama at the helm and with the prospect of Hillary looming for another 8 years, law-abiding and freedom–loving Americans had a deep and well-founded concern that their gun rights were in serious jeopardy, and so we purchased guns and hoarded ammunition [...]

22 03, 2017

Need A Salvage Permit For Deer Skull/Antlers?

2020-06-10T09:16:30-04:00March 22nd, 2017|Big Deer Stories, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Shed Hunting|Comments Off on Need A Salvage Permit For Deer Skull/Antlers?

During the winter and spring shed hunt of 2017, hunters across the country have been finding, picking up and posting on social media some giant “deadheads,” like this 200-class skull making the rounds on Facebook. Let me remind you that if you find any-size skull w/antlers in the woods you might—actually you probably-- need to obtain a salvage permit (or at least permission) from the state to possess and transport that skull. In most states a deadhead—the skull and rack from a buck that died of disease, was hit by a car or was lost by a hunter last season—is treated like a roadkill buck, and subject to the same state roadkill laws, which in most cases means you need [...]

20 03, 2017

Study: Trees Know When Deer Feed On Them

2020-06-10T09:16:30-04:00March 20th, 2017|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science|Comments Off on Study: Trees Know When Deer Feed On Them

Science continues to uncover interesting things in the deer world. The Deer Forest Blog reported that a recent study found that some trees know when they are being browsed by deer…and they put up a defense mechanism to stop it. The study looked at beech and maple saplings that comprised the regenerating under-story in a forest, and thus were often browsed by deer. The researchers simulated deer browsing by clipping buds off the saplings and then applying deer saliva to the wounds. They found that the saliva caused the saplings to increase production of salicylic acid, which signals a tree to produce more tannins. Tannins are bitter and not palatable to deer. The scientists concluded that the production of tannins may deter future [...]

9 03, 2017

Alabama: New Bill Would Expand Baiting for Deer

2020-06-10T09:16:30-04:00March 9th, 2017|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Hunting News|Comments Off on Alabama: New Bill Would Expand Baiting for Deer

The Montgomery Adviser reports that a bill working its way through the Alabama legislature would allow hunters more options for using bait to lure deer and hogs. It passed the house Tuesday and heads to the state senate for consideration. The new bill would not only expand baiting in Alabama, but also clear up confusion due to a law that went into effect just last hunting season. That current law allows hunters to use “supplemental feed” if the feed source is at least 100 yards away from the hunter and out of his or her direct line of sight. That law caused confusion among hunters and, I suspect, game wardens last season. Just what does “out of sight” mean?  Suppose [...]

8 03, 2017

South Dakota Shed Hunter Up to 70 Antlers and Counting

2020-06-10T09:16:30-04:00March 8th, 2017|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Shed Hunting|Comments Off on South Dakota Shed Hunter Up to 70 Antlers and Counting

Update from our expert, Kelly “Shedhunter” Kirsch: Mike: Walked 17.8 miles on Saturday, it was very warm, and picked up 15. One real nice set, maybe in the 160s. I found the antlers about ¾-mile apart. Sunday I hurt, so I used the Quad to cover a sunflower field and picked 12 more. Total for the year is right on 70 sheds, not a bad start. Take a look at that sunflower field. A lot of people I run into that think that antlers have to be knocked off by tree, fence post, or something. But there’s really nothing like that out here in places. Sometimes the antlers just fall off, and I have watched bucks hit the ground with [...]

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