whitetail deer Archives - Page 15 of 82

16 06, 2023

How Spring and Summer Drought Affects Whitetail Deer

Clay Hanback2023-06-16T10:16:33-04:00June 16th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Hunting News, whitetail deer|Comments Off on How Spring and Summer Drought Affects Whitetail Deer

As you can see by this map, much of whitetail country, from Texas to Michigan to Pennsylvania, is abnormally dry to moderate drought. A few pockets in the Midwest are extremely dry. Here in the Virginia Piedmont where I live and hunt, we’re 7 inches short of normal rainfall, and the corn and beans are parched and only inches high in many areas. How will these dry conditions affect the deer herds, and how might it affect the hunting this fall? First, in areas where there is insufficient moisture, crop and native plant growth is stunted, and the plants lack the nutrition that deer need for prime health. Biologists point out that drought conditions make new growth on shrubs harden [...]

12 06, 2023

Oklahoma Confirms First Case of Chronic Wasting Disease

Clay Hanback2023-06-12T09:37:59-04:00June 12th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, CWD, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Oklahoma Confirms First Case of Chronic Wasting Disease

A white-tailed deer in the Oklahoma Panhandle has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). A Texas County landowner reported the deer to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) after witnessing it behaving abnormally. The deer was recovered near Optima and testing was conducted. This marks the first case of CWD in a wild deer in Oklahoma. “While this is unfortunate news, it is not unexpected since CWD has already been detected in every state that borders Oklahoma. We will be working through our response plan to ensure we can monitor potential spread and keep our state’s deer herd healthy,” said Jerry Shaw, Wildlife Programs Supervisor with ODWC. CWD is an always-fatal neurological disease that affects the brains of deer, elk, [...]

6 06, 2023

50 Bowhunting Deer Tips

Clay Hanback2023-06-02T08:04:20-04:00June 6th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on 50 Bowhunting Deer Tips

As a rule, hang 3 to 5 tree stands for every 100 acres of timber you hunt. Spread those stands to cover major food sources and travel corridors, and to have options for different winds. If you’ve got 100 acres but only 25 of those acres are conducive to getting to and from stands quietly and hidden from downwind, do your bowhunting in those 25 acres. If you try to force your way into tough terrains or spots where the wind is hardly ever right, you’ll blow out deer and ruin your chances. Clip your release to the string, close your eyes, draw your bow and anchor. Open your eyes and you should be able to see a pin clearly [...]

2 06, 2023

Deer Management: Why You Should Create a Diverse Habitat Plan

Clay Hanback2023-06-02T07:55:27-04:00June 2nd, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Management, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Deer Management: Why You Should Create a Diverse Habitat Plan

In any given year, spring/summer weather conditions—either drought or flood—can delay or in some way impact planting and seed germination. The conditions keep soybeans, corn, alfalfa and the like from producing throughout the growing season, and in turn deer do not pack on as much weight, or in the case of bucks grow their largest antlers. Each week that quality forage is not able to grow and mature (it’s either too dry or too wet) it reduces a deer’s ability to express its full genetic potential. The lack of ag crops can be buffered by quality native forage for deer. But then poor weather conditions can impact the growth and availability of forbs, woodland plants and other natural food sources. As [...]

30 05, 2023

How I Helped Crush an Absurd Deer Hunting Competition

Clay Hanback2023-05-30T09:28:28-04:00May 30th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Hunting News, whitetail deer|Comments Off on How I Helped Crush an Absurd Deer Hunting Competition

Back in the early 2000s, a group called the World Hunting Association (WHA) launched with a mission that promised “to take hunting to a new level by creating a competitive tour that showcases the sport’s finest hunters competing for hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money.” For the first event, 5 celebrity hunters were to be turned loose in a 1,200-acre pen with bow or gun to see who could shoot the biggest buck with, I kid you not, “patent-pending, non-fatal tranquilizing technique that will allow for a thrilling tournament experience.” A PR guy from WHA emailed me and wrote: “It’s both a bow and gun hunt, but with a patented tranq technology. There are veterinarians on site to [...]