whitetail deer Archives - Page 23 of 94

5 09, 2023

Bowhunting Tactics for the Suburbs

Clay Hanback2023-09-05T08:30:13-04:00September 5th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Bowhunting Tactics for the Suburbs

For years now, hunters have ben shooting some huge whitetail bucks in small to tiny tracts of land in cities and suburbs where bowhunting is permitted. In Connecticut, northern Virginia, outside New York city, even out in Missoula, Montana. Kevin Robinson is one of those hunters, and he’s killed all these bucks in the suburbs of Missoula. Try his tactics wherever you hunt bucks around houses, roads and towns. When archery season opens in September, Kevin hunts high draws that overlook the city in the evenings. In his favorite setup, his tree stand is tight to one of 2 deer trails that run up and down a mountain. Having scouted and glassed the area for a month, he knows the pattern [...]

30 08, 2023

Why Some Bucks Grow Non-Typical Antlers

Clay Hanback2023-08-17T11:26:31-04:00August 30th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Why Some Bucks Grow Non-Typical Antlers

In Perry County, Ohio, Ethan Featheroff arrowed a 20-point giant that scored 220 7/8”. In Logan County, West Virginia, Donny Baisden scouted, hunted and shot the awesome unicorn buck that taped out at 182 5/8. The 20-year trend of hunters shooting monster non-typical whitetails continues, and many more giants will fall in 2023. Here are 3 reasons bucks grow such huge, gaudy racks. Injury: Biologists have long known that trauma to a buck’s skull plate or velvet antlers or a major bodily injury (i.e., a broken leg) can cause a rack to grow crazily during the current antler cycle or even for several years thereafter. Injury probably accounts for the most freakish racks, like a “cactus buck.” If deer tries to jump a wire [...]

27 08, 2023

Texas Unicorn Velvet Buck

Clay Hanback2023-08-17T11:16:50-04:00August 27th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Science, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Texas Unicorn Velvet Buck

My friend Wren from down in Texas sent me this photo and said, “Looks like we have another unicorn buck on the ranch!” Look close in the middle of the deer’s forehead and you’ll see it. You might ask, “Is possible a tine can grow out the middle of a buck’s forehead like that? How rare is it?” Yes, tines can grow in weird places. Mickey Hellickson, one of the top whitetail scientists in the world with a lot of experience in Texas, says: It is caused by trauma to the frontal bone. This entire region of the skull is capable of growing antler, and if an area of the frontal bone is injured (such as a tine puncture from another [...]

24 08, 2023

Rifle Deer: What’s Better, the Shoulder or Lung Shot?

Clay Hanback2023-08-17T10:53:24-04:00August 24th, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Guns & Loads, Deer Hunting, Hornady, sportsman channel, trijicon, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Rifle Deer: What’s Better, the Shoulder or Lung Shot?

Mike: I was just curious, where do you aim on a deer when you are hunting with a gun? I have had terrific success with the shoulder shot versus the standard behind-the-shoulder shot. The recovery rates and distances that deer run, margin of error and terminal performance are all superior when I use this aiming point. I think others could benefit if they changed where they shoot a buck and go for more shoulder. Thanks, Kenny from VA. Kenny: I have shot a bunch of bucks through the shoulders and agree that it is a tremendous shot. When you’re on target, you not only take out both shoulders but also get the front of the lungs and shock the heart. [...]

21 08, 2023

Pre-Season Hunting Rifle Check

Clay Hanback2023-08-17T10:34:39-04:00August 21st, 2023|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, CZ-USA, Deer Guns & Loads, trijicon, whitetail deer|Comments Off on Pre-Season Hunting Rifle Check

Just got back from the range and checking these 2 rigs that I’ll hunt with this fall as we film Big Deer TV Season 13 on Sportsman Channel: CZ-USA Model 600 Alpha bolt-action rifle in 6.5 PRC topped with Trijicon Accupoint 4X-16X scope, and CZ 600 in .30-06 topped w/Trijicon 3X-9X Huron. Here are 4 observations and tips I have from that range session. The 6.5 PRC rifle was dead-on last January in Texas, where I killed a nice buck and a huge boar hog with one bullet each. My first shot at the range today was 4 inches high and 3 inches left. I was not shocked. I traveled 2,000 miles back home with the rifle. That might or [...]