BigDeer Archives - Page 269 of 329

9 05, 2014

Food Plots: How to Plant Seeds

admin2020-06-10T09:22:50-04:00May 9th, 2014|BigDeer, Deer Management|2 Comments

From long-time BIG DEER blogger and food-plot specialist Matt “Flatlander” Cheever: Hey Mike: It’s that time of year to start getting our hands dirty in the deer woods with habitat projects. Food plot planting is kicking off in the South and close by to the North. Passing along a tip to the BIG DEER readers: It’s a common mistake to till, disk or dig too deep. The bigger the equipment you use the easier it is to over-till, which brings up dormant weed seeds. On the other hand, if you don’t till enough you won’t get good seed-to-soil contact. A good rule of thumb is to plant twice as deep as the seed is in size. For clovers, brassicas and the [...]

8 05, 2014

How Much Are Shed Antlers Worth?

admin2020-06-10T09:23:02-04:00May 8th, 2014|BigDeer, Shed Hunting|1 Comment

Mike: What are shed antlers going for these days? I have a big pile I might want to unload if the price is right? I’ve been getting that question a lot. Here are some guidelines to go by. Keep in mind that the value of antlers can vary according to antler size (bigger is better), condition and grade of the sheds and the simple effects of supply and demand. These are spring 2014 estimates; I’ll try to update the figures every year or so. I checked with shed fanatic Mike C., who told me that whitetail sheds are running from $7-$10 a pound. “Ten dollars a pound for single sheds that that are like 70-78 inches. The deer farm market has killed the [...]

7 05, 2014

5 Grades of Shed Antlers

admin2020-06-10T09:23:02-04:00May 7th, 2014|BigDeer, Shed Hunting|2 Comments

Did you know that every shed antler you pick up has a grade, from Grade A Brown (best condition) to Grade C White (worst)? Should you ever want to sell some of your antlers, that condition/grade will largely determine its value. This Colorado antler website sums up the antler grades well: Grade A Brown: Antler in perfect condition with no fading and only very minor chips…no broken tines or chew marks…antler picked up within a few weeks or months of the buck dropping it. Grade B Brown: Antler may have a broken tine, chips and chew marks, but still natural brown color with no fading. Grade A White: (Pictured above.) Antler faded and weathered to white but still in perfect [...]

6 05, 2014

Win a Mule Deer Hunt!

admin2020-06-10T09:23:02-04:00May 6th, 2014|BigDeer|Comments Off on Win a Mule Deer Hunt!

Check out this great opportunity from our friends at Huntin’ Fool: Huntin’ Fool is currently holding its 2014 Summer Membership Drive and we are excited to announce a giveaway like never before, and possibly never again. We have purchased the hunt of a lifetime and we are going to give it to one lucky member: A fully guided Henry Mountains (Utah) mule deer hunt and a custom rifle. The winner of this once-in-a-lifetime hunt will be guided by North Rim Outfitters with the Huntin’ Fool team assisting. Along with the collective experience of North Rim Outfitters and the Huntin’ Fool team, the winner will also receive a Red Rock Precision custom rifle to help them take a trophy buck. We [...]

4 05, 2014

Buck Science: Why Bucks Scrape at Night

admin2020-06-10T09:23:02-04:00May 4th, 2014|BigDeer, Deer Science|1 Comment

Every research study conducted over the past 20 years has shown that whitetail bucks make and check scrapes mostly at night. We have always naturally figured the deer do it for the safety factor—cover of darkness to avoid pressure—but one of the country’s foremost researchers has a different take. The University of Georgia’s Dr. Karl Miller believes it’s more difficult for bucks to see and sort out other bucks (and does) at night than it is in daylight. So in the dark, bucks are drawn to scrapes--the ultimate scent-posts in late October and November--to keep tabs on and interact with other deer in the area. Miller says that trail camera photos and videos taken at scrapes show bucks sniffing each other’s tarsal glands more [...]