Deer Hunting Archives - Page 122 of 197

28 01, 2019

This Is How Deer Survive Winter Weather

admin2020-06-10T09:15:26-04:00January 28th, 2019|Big Deer Stories, BigDeer, Deer Hunting|3 Comments

A polar vortex is gripping the northern half of the U.S., creating brutal conditions. It’s minus 10 this morning in Paradise Hill, Saskatchewan where I hunt a lot, and around zero and dropping in Minnesota and Wisconsin. How do northern whitetails survive this intense cold and snow? Chris Whittier, a researcher and professor at Tufts University, explains it well in this article: …deer physically prepare for the winter by better insulating their bodies. In the fall, deer gradually trade their summer hair coat for a winter one, which consists of thicker, longer, and darker hairs called guard hairs, while also growing in a much thicker undercoat. This winter coat absorbs more sunlight and traps more body heat than the summer [...]

24 01, 2019

Mississippi Woman, 101 Years Young, Still Shooting Deer

admin2020-06-10T09:15:26-04:00January 24th, 2019|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting|1 Comment

Photo Source: Clarion-Ledger The Clarion-Ledger reports that Bertha Vickers of Morgantown was having a tough season. She’d been seeing deer, but couldn’t close the deal. But her luck changed a few days after her birthday. Vickers celebrated turning 101 and was back in her hunting blind, hoping for a chance. She spotted a small doe. "I decided to wait for a bigger one," Vickers said. "Before long, a bigger doe came out and I shot. Read the full story to see what happened next. Bertha’s grandson skinned the deer, and she helped cut it up. "When you're as old as I am, you naturally think each one could be your last one, but I'm going to go as long as [...]

22 01, 2019

Ultimate Guide To Hunting Shed Antlers

admin2020-06-10T09:15:26-04:00January 22nd, 2019|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Shed Hunting|Comments Off on Ultimate Guide To Hunting Shed Antlers

Google shed hunting and up pops more than 1 million links to a mind-bogging array of antler info. There are shed-hunting clubs, a shed-antler record book and Facebook pages. Tens of thousands of articles and blogs have been published and posted on how and where to hunt for antlers. Television shows on antler hunting air on Sportsman Channel each year. I produced a shed episode for Big Deer TV a few years ago and it was one of the most popular shows of the year. There is a good chance you are at least a semi-obsessed antler hunter, or that you will get into it very soon. Either way, here’s stuff you need to know. When to Shed Hunt When [...]

16 01, 2019

Illinois Late-Season Bow Buck

admin2020-06-10T09:15:26-04:00January 16th, 2019|Big Deer Stories, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting|2 Comments

Today’s guest post from Flatlander, longtime friend of BIG DEER: Hey Mike, reporting in on the last week of the Illinois archery season. We’ve had 10 inches of snow dumped upon us, and the deer are still a slave to their stomachs. I’ve been playing cat and mouse with a buck we’ve called “Captain Hook” for his unique brow tines. He was elusive during the pre-rut and disappeared for almost 6 weeks. Most recent trail cams at Christmas revealed he was alive and back, moving among our food plots. Cold temps and flooded low ground had deer on their feet on the warmest part of the day, when I had a close encounter with Captain Hook on New Year’s Eve. [...]

14 01, 2019

Why Some Bucks Shed Antlers Early

admin2020-06-10T09:15:26-04:00January 14th, 2019|Big Deer Stories, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Shed Hunting|1 Comment

I am hearing reports of bucks shedding their antlers early this year. What causes this? QDMA biologist Kip Adams points to a couple of things. “Nutrition is important, as bucks in good physical condition generally retain their antlers longer than those who are nutritionally stressed,” he says. “Widespread early antler casting (in your area) may signify a nutritionally stressed herd resulting from too many deer for what the habitat can support.” Kip says that in northern states, mature bucks typically shed their antlers earlier than younger, smaller deer. “(Older) bucks skip many meals during the breeding season, and those that rut hard may be in poor post-rut condition... even when abundant forage is available for deer. These bucks are choice [...]