Deer Hunting Archives - Page 106 of 184

18 03, 2019

How Will “Bomb Cyclone” and Snowmelt Flooding Affect Deer?

admin2020-06-10T09:15:25-04:00March 18th, 2019|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, Deer Hunting, Deer Science|Comments Off on How Will “Bomb Cyclone” and Snowmelt Flooding Affect Deer?

The recent bomb cyclone combined with spring snowmelt has swelled some Midwest rivers to record levels and forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes. The governors of Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin have declared emergencies. Some of the water-logged areas are bracing for more rain this week. How will all this flooding affect whitetail deer in the region? Biologists say that rising floodwaters of river and creeks won’t kill many if any adult deer, though it will displace the animals for days and weeks. But the deer will eventually filter back into their habitats once the waters recede. Good news is that pregnant does will move out of rising water now and for the next few weeks. The primary concern for deer herds [...]

13 03, 2019

Dick’s Sporting Goods To Remove Firearms And Hunting Gear From 125 Stores

admin2020-06-10T09:15:25-04:00March 13th, 2019|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Guns & Loads, Deer Hunting, Hunting News|5 Comments

Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) has announced it will remove firearms and other hunting gear from about 125 stores. The change, expected to begin August 1, will affect about 17 percent of the company’s stores. The announcement, coupled with continuing declines in sales since 2017 (adjusted same-store sales were down 3.1% last year) lead to a 11 percent decline in stock price yesterday. Dick’s closed at $34.45 on the NYSE, down $4.28/share. Dick’s CEO and major shareholder Ed Stack told the media that if the 125-store move “goes well” the company may remove hunting gear from more stores next year. According to the Outdoor Wire, Stack was one of four CEOs to sign a letter supporting a gun control bill [...]

11 03, 2019

2018 Virginia Deer Harvest

admin2020-06-10T09:15:25-04:00March 11th, 2019|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, Deer Management|Comments Off on 2018 Virginia Deer Harvest

In my home state of Virginia last season, hunters harvested 190,636 deer, including 96,239 antlered bucks, 12,342 button bucks, and 82,055 does. Bowhunters killed 26,676 of those deer. For the first time since crossbows became legal for all archery hunters in fall 2005, the number of whitetails taken with crossbows exceeded the number taken with vertical bows. Blackpowder hunters shot 43,749 deer during the popular November muzzleloader season. Firearms hunters (rifles and shotguns) killed 120,074 deer, or 63% of the total. Approximately 161,800 deer (85%) were checked using the Department’s electronic telephone and Go Outdoors Virginia online checking portal. Virginia Deer Project Coordinator Matt Knox expected the fall 2018 harvest total to be down for 2 reasons. First, much of [...]

7 03, 2019

An Open Letter To America’s Deer Hunters

admin2020-06-10T09:15:25-04:00March 7th, 2019|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting|3 Comments

To: All Deer Hunters, Please Read Only 5% of Americans age 16 and older hunt. That is half of what it was 50 years ago. More recently, the number of licensed hunters, mostly deer hunters, dropped from 14.2 million in 1991 to 11.5 million in 2016. The decline is expected to continue as baby-boomers, the largest and most passionate generation of hunters, age and leave our ranks. It’s a disturbing but very real trend. Many good people and organizations are working hard and spending money on ways to recruit new hunters. We obviously need that and I applaud it, but with all the technology and distractions of the world today and into the future, recruiting people, especially young people, to [...]

5 03, 2019

Grow Better Food Plots: Whitetail Institute Soil-Test Kit

admin2020-06-10T09:15:25-04:00March 5th, 2019|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Management|1 Comment

Whether you are a novice or expert at food plots for deer, whether you plan to plant 2 plots or 10 on your land this year, the first and most critical step to success is to do a soil test and determine the pH of the dirt you’ll be working. Some soils are heavier than others…other dirt is lighter. Some soils hold moisture longer…some dirt dries fast… You get the idea--not all dirt is created equal. By testing the soil where you’ll be planting to determine its exact pH, you’ll know how much lime and/or fertilizer you’ll need for the planting process and optimal forage growth. This test kit from Whitetail Institute gives you everything you need and makes it [...]