BigDeer Archives - Page 328 of 344

29 05, 2013

Wisconsin: Crossbows in Archery Deer Season

admin2020-06-10T09:23:35-04:00May 29th, 2013|BigDeer, Hunting News|8 Comments

From JS Online: One of the last top deer hunting states to tightly restrict the use of crossbows, Wisconsin appears on the threshold of change. A bill has been introduced in the Legislature to allow all hunters to use crossbows during the state's archery deer hunting season… The bill could be signed into law in time for the 2013 season. I have covered the crossbow debate for years, here on the blog and back in my days as whitetail editor for Outdoor Life. I have reported on the positives from proponents like NRA: crossbows help recruit and retain hunters. I have documented the kicking and screaming of groups like Wisconsin Traditional Archers who remain staunchly opposed: crossbows mean more pressure in the woods…too [...]

28 05, 2013

Cougars in Virginia?

admin2020-06-10T09:23:35-04:00May 28th, 2013|BigDeer, Deer Management, Predator Hunting|21 Comments

A guy from VA saw this video and wrote me: Hanback you’re from VA, you ever seen or heard about any cougars here? I’ve never seen one here, but I’ve long heard stories from hunters across the state who swear they saw one in the woods. I’ve heard all the conspiracy theories, like “the state knows they are here but won’t admit it.” Some people have gone so far as to accuse the state of secretly releasing cougars into the VA woods. But you hear stuff like that anytime somebody in any eastern state claims to see one. While the VA Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries mentions the eastern cougar in its species booklet, it never comes out [...]

24 05, 2013

President Bush’s Warrior Bike Ride

admin2020-06-10T09:23:36-04:00May 24th, 2013|Big Deer TV, BigDeer|1 Comment

President Bush and 14 Wounded Warriors are participating in the 3rd annual W100K, a 3-day 100 kilometer mountain bike ride at Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, TX. This is awesome, President Bush is a good man. Anything we can do to get these warriors into the outdoors is a great thing. I see it as our obligation to help these heroes who have sacrificed so much for our freedom. As the wars wind down and these heroes come home, we cannot forget them and our duty to help. It is more important now than ever. I can tell you from personal experience what an emotional and life-changing event it is to spend time in a blind or bass boat with [...]

23 05, 2013

Whitetail Fawns: Who’s Their Daddy?

admin2020-06-10T09:23:36-04:00May 23rd, 2013|BigDeer, Deer Science|2 Comments

While we’re talking about fawns, here’s something I bet you didn't know: Studies show that about 1 in 4 sets of twin or triplet fawns (22% to 25%) had 2 fathers. From a story by QDMA biologist Kip Adams: There are several explanations for joint siring. Remember, bucks will repeatedly breed does during the 24 to 36 hours they are in estrous. It is plausible that a buck breeds a receptive doe and then gets displaced or run off by a larger, older or more aggressive buck while the doe is still receptive. The larger/older/more aggressive buck then breeds the doe, and the doe can have fawns sired by each of the bucks. The initial breeder may have been a [...]

22 05, 2013

Fawns Dropping!

admin2020-06-10T09:23:36-04:00May 22nd, 2013|BigDeer, Deer Science|3 Comments

Tony in NY ran across this little guy this morning. To me there is no finer, precious sight in nature than a whitetail fawn. As a hunter to the core, you know what I'm talking about.