Deer Management Archives

20 03, 2025

Turnip Food Plots for Deer

Clay Hanback2025-03-17T11:25:52-04:00March 20th, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Management, whitetail deer|0 Comments

Last December 14 in central Indiana, I climbed into a box blind on a two-acre turnip plot, ready to smoke a buck with my muzzleloader. I was in the midst of a brutal 17-Day, three-state stretch during which time I had not seen a mature shooter buck, much less shoot one. I was ready to change my luck. At 4 p.m. does started filtering into the turnips, followed by several small bucks. For an hour I watched deer pull up and eat the brassicas, gnawing the roots as the wilted green leaf tops dangled comically from their mouths. A little after 5 p.m., two more does entered the plot from the west, followed by a 7-point, and then a stout [...]

28 02, 2025

Track Deer w/Drones, Best States to Tag Two Deer and More News from Across Whitetail Nation

Clay Hanback2025-02-28T09:21:41-05:00February 28th, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, CWD, Deer Hunting, Deer Management, sportsman channel, whitetail deer|0 Comments

Among new regulations enacted in 2024, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) says that hunters can now legally use drones to look for and track wounded deer. Also, the MDC has mandatory Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) sampling stations for deer harvested during opening weekend of firearms deer season in certain counties. Hunters must take their deer, or the head of it, to a sampling station within the county of harvest on the day of the kill. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources announces that for all regular deer seasons combined, the annual bag limit for bucks has been reduced from three to two. Louisiana hunters can now track wounded deer with dogs and lights, and if necessary, use [...]

10 02, 2025

How Shed Antlers Tell the Health of Bucks

Clay Hanback2025-02-10T09:33:34-05:00February 10th, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Management, Hunting News, Shed Hunting|1 Comment

According to experts with the National Deer Association, when you pick up a shed antler with a base that is flat or level with the burr of an antler, or hollowed out deeper up inside the shed, you can determine that buck was under stress two months or so back during peak of breeding. Conversely, a shed with a protrusion of white bone that sticks out below the antler burr was in good health with normal testosterone levels during the rut. This article goes on to say that any buck might suffer from an injury, a disease like EHD, or some other mishap that could cause stress during the rut, and (researchers note) some “unhealthy” shed antlers every year. But [...]

3 02, 2025

How to Choose the Best Taxidermist

Clay Hanback2025-01-26T12:48:46-05:00February 3rd, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Management, Hunting News, whitetail deer|0 Comments

My hope is you’ll shoot a giant 10-pointer this fall and holler to your buddies, “Men, I’m putting this big boy on the wall!” Depending on where you live, expect to pay $600 to $800 or even more for a shoulder mount. To help you get the best return on your investment, here are some tips for choosing the right taxidermist. Check with Local Hunters You probably know some of the best hunters in your area, or at least know of the locals who kill a good buck most every year. Ask around, call them up and find out which taxidermist they use. If possible, visit their man caves, check out their mounts and see the work for yourself. You [...]

29 01, 2025

Deer Season is Over: Learn from Last Year’s Mistakes

Clay Hanback2025-01-26T12:32:20-05:00January 29th, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Management, Hunting News, Shed Hunting, sportsman channel, whitetail deer|0 Comments

Trail Camera[MP:04][TP:071F][IMEI:868032061698167] Sitting here thinking back about what went right and what went wrong last deer season, which was a challenging one for me and the Big Deer TV team. The best memories are of the few days when I shot a buck on TV, but actually I will learn the most by replaying and analyzing all those tough and lean days and weeks when I didn’t get a deer. How did I mess up? What could I have done differently? Lots to chew on. Lesson 1: Scout More and Better A buddy in October and said, “Hey man, I got permission to hunt a new farm, you in?” “Let’s go!” I roared and off we went for a [...]