BigDeer Archives - Page 116 of 342

10 07, 2019

Summer Deer Scouting: Mock Scrapes And Trail Cameras

bluemillion2020-06-10T09:15:18-04:00July 10th, 2019|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science|Comments Off on Summer Deer Scouting: Mock Scrapes And Trail Cameras

A new regulation this year in Virginia prohibits the use of minerals to attract deer in one of the counties I hunt. Since I’m now forced to give up monitoring mineral licks, I’m making mock scrapes and setting trail cameras beside them. Several studies have shown that whitetail bucks will visit scrapes with fresh scent year-round, and especially in the summer months. The fake scrapes are good places (not as good as mineral licks, but the next best thing) to get images of bucks that will roam your area this fall. A mock scrape is not only scent-based, but also a visual sign. Rake out at least a 2 foot by 3 foot area below an overhanging branch. As you [...]

8 07, 2019

What Causes Warts On A Whitetail Deer?

bluemillion2020-06-10T09:15:18-04:00July 8th, 2019|BigDeer|Comments Off on What Causes Warts On A Whitetail Deer?

Our friend Danny sent us these trail-cam photos of a young Maryland buck with what hunters commonly call warts. The technical name for these growths: cutaneous fibromas. They are smooth, black to gray hairless tumors of the skin caused by a virus, which is thought to be transmitted to deer by biting insects, just as blue tongue is transmitted. Warts may show as single, multiple, or in clumps; they can vary from 1/2 to 8 inches in diameter. They can be found anywhere on a deer, but are most common on the head, neck, and shoulders. The growths rarely extend below the hide of a deer. When the skin from a deer with warts is removed there is typically no [...]

4 07, 2019

Can Deer Antlers Help Cure Cancer?

bluemillion2020-06-10T09:15:18-04:00July 4th, 2019|Big Deer Stories, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science|Comments Off on Can Deer Antlers Help Cure Cancer?

According to an international study lead by Chinese researchers and published in the journal Science , a system of cancer-related genes allow deer to grow a new set of antlers every year, but the animals rarely die of cancer thanks to other tumor-suppressing genes in the body that keep the aggressive cells in check. An antler is a complex organ of bone, blood vessels, nerves, muscle and velvet. “Deer can completely regenerate (this) organ. No other mammal has that ability,” said Wang Wen, the study’s lead author. The researchers also noted that while deer might get tumors all over their body, the growths do almost no harm and disappear with time. This jibes with what we have posted on BIG [...]

3 07, 2019

USDA Program To Control Wild Hogs

bluemillion2020-06-10T09:15:18-04:00July 3rd, 2019|BigDeer|Comments Off on USDA Program To Control Wild Hogs

Do you live, hunt deer and maybe farm in the Deep South, on ground where hogs are out of control? Then you’ll be interested in this: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)announced today it is offering $75 million in funding for the eradication and control of feral swine through the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) in a joint effort between USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The 2018 Farm Bill included this new pilot program to help address the threat that feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems and human and animal health. NRCS will direct up to $33.75 million of the allocated FSCP funds toward partnership efforts to work [...]

27 06, 2019

Big Game Q&A: 19 Tips To Help You Hunt Better

bluemillion2020-06-10T09:15:18-04:00June 27th, 2019|Big Deer Stories, BigDeer, Deer Guns & Loads, Deer Hunting, Remington|Comments Off on Big Game Q&A: 19 Tips To Help You Hunt Better

I’ll be bowhunting big bucks in the South in December? Weather-wise, which days should be best? Try to plan your hunts around cool, clear days with a north wind. “Down here, big bucks move the best on cool, bluebird days,” says Jimmy Riley, manager of Giles Island Plantation near Natchez, Mississippi. “We have lots of days when it’s warm and the wind blows out of the south. Deer don’t move as well then. But if you can catch a couple of crisp, clear days, you should spot some awesome buck movement.” What are pheromones? Pheromones are chemical substances in the urine and glandular secretions of deer. They serve as stimuli to other deer for behavioral responses. Many biologists believe that [...]