whitetail deer Archives

29 08, 2025

Daniel Nelson’s 2024 Illinois Giant Buck, 200 2/8 Gross NT

Clay Hanback2025-08-26T11:27:03-04:00August 29th, 2025|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|0 Comments

Todays' great guest blog from BIG DEER field reporter Dean Weimer: In the lead up to last year’s deer season, Daniel Nelson’s cousin Lance sent some images of a bucks he was seeing on his new hunting property. Daniel thought that one buck in particular might be in the 145-150-class. A few days later Daniel received a better picture of the deer, and realized he was looking at a buck that was more likely in the 170s. That is when both Daniel and Lance, who have hunted together for 23 years, became more interested in the buck. And with each new image of the buck that the guys got, Daniel thought he might like to hunt him. The only issue [...]

26 08, 2025

What Determines a Buck’s Antler Color?

Clay Hanback2025-08-26T10:32:31-04:00August 26th, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science, whitetail deer|0 Comments

Question from a reader: Mike, I hunt deer on a ranch in eastern Wyoming. Some of the bucks have blonde antlers; others have chocolate-brown racks. Why is this? Seems like the dark antlers are slightly more common on bigger bucks. I've also seen this difference in the whitetails I've hunted back home in Minn.--Tim Tim, biologists say antler coloration is determined by several things, including: (1) buck age. younger bucks tend to have lighter-colored antlers. Older, more dominant bucks often have darker antlers. But this is not set in stone. (2) bark coloration of the predominant rubbing trees in a region. Bucks that rub light-colored trees, like aspen, have light antlers, while bucks that blaze pines and cedars with sap [...]

21 08, 2025

2025 Outbreak of EHD Killing Deer in Ohio

Clay Hanback2025-08-21T14:02:15-04:00August 21st, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Hunting News, whitetail deer|1 Comment

Ohio is seeing significant EHD outbreaks of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD), with confirmed cases and reports of dead or sick deer across multiple counties. The 2025 outbreaks are linked to ongoing drought conditions in Ohio, which favor midge proliferation and drive deer to congregate near water sources, increasing transmission. Confirmed EHD cases in 2025 include Athens, Washington, Union, Morrow, Fairfield, Guernsey, and Meigs counties, with Athens and Washington reporting the highest number of cases (over 50 reports near the Pennsylvania border). Additional counties with suspected cases include Brown, Highland, Hocking, Morgan, Noble, and Monroe. Franklin County also experienced significant EHD mortality, impacting deer harvests. In Coolville (Athens County), residents reported up to 15 dead deer since mid-July, earlier [...]

7 08, 2025

Kansas Trail Camera Update

Clay Hanback2025-08-07T14:29:49-04:00August 7th, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, Hunting News, whitetail deer|1 Comment

In August 2023, the Kansas DWP announced that “no person shall place, maintain or use a trail or game camera on department (public) lands,” infuriating many deer hunters. At least part of the thinking two years ago had nothing to do with actually scouting a buck. One of the Kansas commissioners said: “In some places … cameras are used to spy on other hunters. And some people recoil from [seeing] a camera. They’re private. They don’t want to have somebody take their picture and then have it on Facebook.” Lauber went on to say that trail cameras are sometimes used by hunters as a means of staking claim to a particular section of public land. Earlier this year, the KDWP agreed [...]

30 07, 2025

5 Archery Setups to Try This Season

Clay Hanback2025-07-30T14:43:02-04:00July 30th, 2025|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|0 Comments

Tailor these stand sets to the terrain and cover where you bowhunt. Elevated Ridge Stand An ridge that is situated uphill and 100 yards or so from a field of corn, soybeans or alfalfa is one of my favorite spots for the pre-rut. Like most early-season setups, it is killer for the afternoons. But if access is good and the wind allows it, you might be able to sneak in and hunt the stand one morning too. If you have a flat of oak trees on your property that runs up a ridge from an ag field, jackpot. Does will come from back in the cover and move through in the afternoon on their way to the field. Some [...]