BigDeer Archives - Page 92 of 345

6 01, 2021

BIG DEER Hunting Predictions for 2021

Clay Hanback2021-01-06T10:51:12-05:00January 6th, 2021|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Hunting News, whitetail deer|Comments Off on BIG DEER Hunting Predictions for 2021

As I predicted 9 months ago, the pandemic led to a notable increase (roughly 10% across all the states) in new and reactivated hunters for the fall 2020 seasons. People had been cooped up for months, and what better way to get out of the house and social distance without wearing a mask, unless it is a camo face covering. As more people get vaccinated and COVID begins to go away (we hope!) later in 2021 and into 22, will these new hunters still shoot and hunt next fall and into the future? I predict some fall off, but a good percentage of the new hunters will keep on doing it. They are more knowledgeable and confident now, have better [...]

21 12, 2020

Best Tactics for the Second Deer Rut

Clay Hanback2020-12-21T09:55:20-05:00December 21st, 2020|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Best Tactics for the Second Deer Rut

At first I figured some guy on the next ridge had spooked the jittery doe that dashed past my stand. But then I had a premonition: Was something more happening here? I readied my .270, just as the 9-pointer prowled forth, grunting with his nose to the ground. Easy shot. That would have been your classic rut hunt, except for one thing. I killed that gnarly buck on a cold day in late December, a good month after the breeding season had peaked in Virginia. Understanding the Second Rut Many hunters think the rut is confined to 2 or 3 weeks in mid-November, but it’s not. There is more “trickle breeding” going on into December than you might imagine. Bucks [...]

17 12, 2020

Illinois Bowhunter Bags 302-Pound Buck

Clay Hanback2020-12-08T13:55:18-05:00December 17th, 2020|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Illinois Bowhunter Bags 302-Pound Buck

Today’s guest post (part II) is from Ellie and Zach Atkins, BIG DEER’s favorite hunting couple: Hey Mike, it's Zach, so I'll tell you my story now. I take “rutcation” every year from November 1st-15th from work. Well, this year was amazing! I saw a ton of deer but I was after 2 particular bucks, and by the end of my vacation I only saw them twice. They weren't close enough to shoot. My rutcation ended and I went back to work. The following weekend coming up would be shotgun season here in Illinois, on November 20th. On November 17th, my birthday, Ellie told me, "Hey, go try and buy a buck tag for Mclean County and go out this weekend [...]

16 12, 2020

Illinois Huntress Bags One-Eyed Buck

Clay Hanback2020-12-08T13:48:42-05:00December 16th, 2020|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|1 Comment

Today’s guest post is from Ellie and Zach Atkins, BIG DEER’s favorite hunting couple: Hey Mike, it's Ellie and Zach here from Illinois. I wanted to submit our hunting photos and stories from the 2020 season. First, I'll start with Ellie’s. Last year Ellie and I bought a house in late September. So pretty much the entire October 2019 season consisted of packing and moving stuff. Almost every evening as we unloaded boxes and put our house together our cellular trail camera kept going off over and over with the same buck walking the same path. Ellie looked at me and said, "Next year we gotta focus on early season and go down and hunt that stand." Well sure enough, [...]

10 12, 2020

Tennessee: Hunter Kills Two Big Bucks On Back-To-Back Hunts

Clay Hanback2020-12-08T11:17:57-05:00December 10th, 2020|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Tennessee: Hunter Kills Two Big Bucks On Back-To-Back Hunts

Today’s great guest post is from Zach Shipley, who had the deer season of a lifetime on farm that he and his dad lease in southeast Tennessee near the Cumberland Plateau region: Mike: I’ve been a die-hard whitetail hunter for 30 years and have dreamed of harvesting a true trophy buck ever since my dad got me interested in deer hunting when I was 6 years old. I’ve been fortunate enough to harvest several “nice” bucks over my years of hunting, but this past muzzleloader season was truly a season like no other. I went to my stand on November 17, 2020 after working all night the night before. I sat all day and at the end of my hunt, [...]