Deer Science Archives - Page 12 of 44

15 04, 2020

Take QDMA’s Online Deer Course Now, Hunt Better Than Ever This Fall

Clay Hanback2020-06-10T09:14:50-04:00April 15th, 2020|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Management, Deer Science, Hunting News, sportsman channel, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Take QDMA’s Online Deer Course Now, Hunt Better Than Ever This Fall

When this pandemic resides and the stay-at-home orders are finally relaxed, we all look forward to 2 things: getting back to work, and going deer hunting this fall. In the wake of COVID-19, having seen and endured great disruptions to our supply chains and food supply, and facing the reality that we could be locked down again in the future, I believe that more Americans than ever will hunt whitetails come October and November. Most will hunt within 30 miles of their homes, hoping to shoot one or more deer (up to the legal limit) for the freezer. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or a newbie, you should strive to hunt your best this season, not only for the [...]

5 02, 2020

Should You Feed Deer In The Winter?

Clay Hanback2020-06-10T09:14:51-04:00February 5th, 2020|BigDeer, CWD, Deer Hunting, Deer Science, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Should You Feed Deer In The Winter?

Yes, natural food is scarce and whitetail deer are hungry and scavenging every bite they can find right now in late winter. NO, you should not feed them. No corn, no apples, no hay, nothing. “Congregation of deer is a way in which Chronic Wasting Disease is spread through nose to nose contact,” explains Ryan Brown, director of Virginia Game and Inland Fisheries. “We encourage the public not to feed deer, because the deer don’t need it in Virginia to survive, and number two, attracting deer to a particular feeding location simply ups the odds that the disease will be spread within the herd.” CWD can be spread by disease prions that live in the soil for years. “The prions [...]

2 12, 2019

6 Things To Remember When Hunting Public-Land Bucks

Clay Hanback2020-06-10T09:14:51-04:00December 2nd, 2019|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science, whitetail deer|Comments Off on 6 Things To Remember When Hunting Public-Land Bucks

I’m a big fan of Penn State’s Deer-Forest Blog. It’s science-based and consistently provides practical and relate able information for wildlife observers and hunters alike. In this recent post the researchers talk about deer behavior in big woods on public lands. Many of you hunt that type of habitat and those tough bucks. Here are a few highlights you need to remember: Having tracked GPS-collared deer for years in big, rough, hunted woods in Pennsylvania, the researchers say that one critical learned behavior of deer is to find safe zones where they avoid hunters. When deer are disturbed, they do what deer do--run away. If they run to a spot where they don’t get disturbed again, then they will [...]

22 11, 2019

How To Grunt Up A Buck

Clay Hanback2020-06-10T09:14:52-04:00November 22nd, 2019|BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Rut, Deer Science, whitetail deer|Comments Off on How To Grunt Up A Buck

One afternoon in Iowa, Pat Strawser sat in his stand and watched some does and small bucks enter a picked cornfield. A heavy 7-pointer popped into view, followed by more does. “I was trying to keep track of all the deer when a huge buck strode into the field,” said Pat. “He pinned his ears back and marched toward the Big 7.” The hunter grabbed his grunter and went to work. He called several times--nothing. Gradually he increased the volume and intensity of his calls until both the mature bucks picked up their heads and looked his way. “They were about 125 yards out,” says Pat. “Once I had their attention, I gave even louder grunts and then a snort-wheeze. [...]

20 11, 2019

Hunt The Rut: What Is A “Buck Excursion?”

Clay Hanback2020-06-10T09:14:52-04:00November 20th, 2019|BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Hunt The Rut: What Is A “Buck Excursion?”

A recent post at QDMA starts out like this: One thing researchers have deciphered in recent years using GPS technology is a somewhat new behavior that white-tailed deer do called an excursion, which is a brief trip or trips outside their established home range. This behavior especially occurs during the rut, and I have a personal story from the 2018 season to prove it. We have been running 8-10 trail cameras for years on a 1,000-acre farm in the Virginia Piedmont. Imagine our shock and excitement when we checked a card and saw one image of this awesome buck from November 18, obviously an older deer with a ton of character. We had never seen this freak before, no images [...]