Big Deer TV Archives - Page 123 of 181

9 05, 2018

Mule Deer: Why Antler-Point Restrictions Don’t Work

admin2020-06-10T09:15:53-04:00May 9th, 2018|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Management, Mule Deer|Comments Off on Mule Deer: Why Antler-Point Restrictions Don’t Work

Most western states and provinces have, over the years, implemented some type of antler-point restrictions during mule deer hunting seasons. On the surface, antler restrictions make sense: If by law hunters cannot shoot young fork-horns and other immature bucks, those deer will grow older and bigger next year and the next. More mature bucks is good for the health of any herd, right? And most hunters want to shoot a deer with big antlers, right? Not necessarily, say experts with the Mule Deer Working Group (MDWG). These researchers and biologists report that antler-point restrictions have proved to have limited potential to produce more trophy bucks, and they result in a myriad of challenges and problems. For example: -- Available data [...]

7 05, 2018

Top 8 Bowhunting States

admin2020-06-10T09:15:53-04:00May 7th, 2018|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting|4 Comments

A ton of interesting information in the QDMA’s 2018 Whitetail Report, including this: Can you guess the top 8 states where the highest percentage of the annual deer harvest is with bow and arrow? #1 New Jersey: Estimated 2016 total deer harvest 49,246; 58% or 28,563 with bow. #2 Connecticut: Estimated total deer harvest 10,412; 50% or 5,206 with bow. #3 Ohio: Estimated total deer harvest 182,169; 45% or 81,976 with bow. #4 Massachusetts: Total deer harvest 12,249; 42% or 12,249 with bow. #5 (three states tie): Kansas: Total harvest 84,065; 37% or 31,104 with bow. Illinois: Total harvest 144,304; 37% or 53,392 with bow. Michigan: Total harvest 341,287; 37% or 126,276 with bow.

3 05, 2018

Mills Buck 172 6/8: Virginia’s No. 4 Archery Non-Typical

admin2020-06-10T09:15:53-04:00May 3rd, 2018|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting|Comments Off on Mills Buck 172 6/8: Virginia’s No. 4 Archery Non-Typical

Yesterday I took this picture of Wayne Mills and the incredible buck he shot in Rappahannock County, Virginia, in October 2016. I had seen pictures of this deer, but to see it in person was amazing. Main-frame 12-point with split brow tines…21 score-able points and stickers for character. Net 172 6/8 non-typical. Number 4 all-time in Virginia according to the latest Pope and Young book. We spend a good 2 hours filming a video segment with Wayne and this giant, and you’ll see and hear the story on a new episode of BIG DEER TV this fall. Here’s the written version in Wayne’s words, which first appeared on the blog in November 2016: I was given permission on a new [...]

18 04, 2018

Bigger Bucks: 5 Food-Plot Pointers

admin2020-06-10T09:15:54-04:00April 18th, 2018|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Management|2 Comments

One: Design Before You Dig On an aerial map, look for strips and pockets of open ground toward the interior of your property, and plant those first. This keeps your plots—and the bucks they attract--away from roads and the neighbors’ fence lines. Also, the closer you plant to thick bedding cover the better your chances that mature 8- or 10-pointer will pop out into the plot to grab a bite one evening this fall. Think back to past hunts on the land. Whitetails are habitual animals that come and go in the same places from year to year. Where have you seen the most deer and found the found the most trails, rubs and scrapes over the years? Plant your [...]

13 04, 2018

Scout Deer In Spring Turkey Season

admin2020-06-10T09:15:54-04:00April 13th, 2018|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting|1 Comment

When we scout and hunt a property for deer from September through December, we poke around and look for rubs, scrapes and tracks. But we are reluctant to walk around too much or penetrate too deeply into the woods for fear of bumping deer. That’s good, but trouble is, by working only the perimeters of a hunting area, you only get a glimpse of how and where the deer, and bucks, live and travel. But in the spring, you can walk freely in the woods and investigate every ridge, bottom and thicket for signs of deer. Why not kill two birds with one stone and combine your scouting with your turkey hunting in April and May? At daylight, listen for [...]