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7-yr-old girl drops buck at 250 yards!!
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HUGE props to Harlee Cate Lepard who made a PERFECT 250-yard shot on this buck!! The MS Clarion-Ledger spoke with Harlee Cate’s mom, Jessica, who told the tale of this sniper in the making:
> “[The buck] came out about 4:40 pm. She was actually eating an apple and coloring, and I saw it first. When the buck came out, he was looking for does.”
> Jessica knew there wasn’t a lot of time because there were no does in the field. She also knew it was right at a 250-yard shot, so she told Harlee Cate to shoot a little high. The 6-point stopped broadside, Harlee Cate settled in, put the cross hairs on his vitals, and calmly squeezed the trigger. She made a perfect heart and lung shot.
> “She was so relaxed. That’s why she could shoot so far. She took a deep breath and pulled the trigger.”
> A shot like that for a 7-year-old may seem surprising, but then again, maybe not. Maybe she just takes after her mother. “I don’t have a problem making long shots,” Jessica said. “I know I killed a deer at every bit of 300 yards. I feel comfortable making long shots, let’s put it that way. She’s just following in my footsteps. I think she’s going to be a little sniper. I really do.”
If this doesn’t bring a tear to your deer-hunting eye, don’t know what will….
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This deer is the new AR typical record.
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The 2018 buck killed by William Lloyd in 2018 is the new state typical record, netting 200 1/8, according to the AR Democrat-Gazette:
> For perspective, Lloyd’s buck is the biggest ever killed in the deep South, and only the 17th typical ever to score 200″. It is the fourth 200+ net typical killed in the 21st century, and the biggest typical killed in the past decade.
To read how the full hunt went down, check out the post at Game & Fish mag. Spoiler alert: He shot that hoss in a flooded, unpicked bean field….
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Dad alerts daughter about an 8 point, but…she shoots a 14!
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Easy to get excited when you get word that an 8-pointer is headed your way. But how ’bout a 14-pointer coming by instead! That’s what happened to Lacie Russell, a college student who was hunting the same property as her dad, about 300 yards away. Lacie told the story to the LA Sportsman:
> “I had hunted several times this year without any success at all. In fact, I had not seen a single deer, not even a doe this season.
> “My dad’s stand is about 300 yards from mine and he texted me around 8:50 that he was looking at some does when a nice 8-point buck ran out in front of him too fast for him to get a shot. He told me to be on my toes because the 8-point was headed in my direction.”
> At 9:00 instead of the 8-point…a bigger buck suddenly appeared…with a doe in front of him at 100 yards.
> “I was making some noise when I moved and repositioned, and the doe seemed to get nervous. The buck however was intent on sniffing the doe and he continued to stand with his rear end facing me. I didn’t know how big he was except I knew he was a good one because his antlers stood out on each side of his head.
> “I had my gun, a Remington 7mm-08, out the window and ready, and when he turned to look my way I had a good view of his neck so I squeezed the trigger. He dropped right there. I texted my dad and told him what I’d shot. Then I took a photo and sent it to him and I believe he was more excited than I was.”
Yep we bet he was! Big-time mass on that deer, which measured 166 4/8. Nice one Lacie!
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Duck calls work for deer??
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At least one deer anyhow (@thehuntingnews FB vid):
If anything, that buck kinda likes what he’s hearing too much? Or maybe has a thing for mallards?? lol
Anyone ever see a buck come in to a duck call before?
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Disney okays Bambi remake and Twitter goes nuts about…
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…you guessed it, Bambi’s “mom” getting shot “again”…this time in live action, not a cartoon.
We all know she wound up as venison chili (it’s okay, people have to eat too lol), and the Twitterverse is having fits over the possibility of Disney showing the kill shot in HD.
Well in a typical Interwebz deal, the crazies are commenting based on things they have no clue about because…
…no kill shot in the original! So won’t be one this time either. And hey — we’re talkin’ Disney. They’re definitely not gonna rock the $$$ train….
Wonder why Twitter hasn’t posted the deer perspective on this whole deal:
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News
1. Kid Rock killed this deer to honor Kobe Bryant.
Used a rifle nicknamed “The Black Mamba,” which was Kobe’s nickname:
What’s wrong with that? Answer: nothing at all. Nice deer too….
2. Is hunting dying? And conservation $$ with it?
Tough to read. Says that for a bunch of reasons — like changing lifestyles and values — fewer folks are hunting and it’s a trend.
Since license fees and excise taxes on hunting (and fishing) equipment fund much of DNRs and other stuff, like endangered species work (for some reason), this supposed trend ain’t great. But maybe it’ll force a much-needed change:
> “…keeps me up at night,” Robert Miller, director of the Governor’s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation, said of the inadequacies of the user-pay, user-play model that has funded conservation for decades.
> A national panel has called for a new funding model to keep at-risk species from needing far costlier emergency measures.
Two solutions to this deal: No more non-game funding out of game $$$, and take someone hunting — and feed ’em some venison!
3. OH deer kill up by 12K this season.
> Deer hunters killed 184,465 deer this season, up from 172,670 the previous year….
> …youth hunters harvested 6,234 on Nov 23-24, 2019. During the 2019 weeklong and 2-day deer-gun seasons, hunters checked in 77,187 deer. Muzzleloader hunters added an additional 10,615 deer from Jan 4-7, 2020. On Feb 2, archery hunters concluded their season with 88,860 deer taken. Archery hunters accounted for 48% of deer checked in 2019-2020.
> OH’s record deer harvest was in 2009-2010, when 261,260 were checked.
4. PA: Buck and antlerless next rifle season?
Proposed change:
> Another preliminary change would let hunters hunt both buck and antlerless deer for the entire 2-week rifle deer season.
[Cant link it — at wnep.com.]
5. PA: No trespassing purple paint law now in effect.
> Now that the “purple paint law” is effective, hunters should know they might encounter purple markings on trees and that these marks are meant to define the boundary of an adjoining private property that’s posted against trespassing.
At least 11 other states have a similar law.
6. NY: Record low number of hunting accidents in 2019.
Sounds good, and guess it is, but:
> …12 shooting injuries and 1 death….
Please be careful out there folks.
7. NE: Proposal would give farmers early permits.
Says NE farmers lose $60 mil/yr from deer destroying crops:
> …would allow farmers to hunt on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before the official hunting season if they get the permit. Qualified landowners could get up to 4 free permits for them and their families.
8. UT: Proposal to require predator control to help deer.
> After 2 dry years weakened herds and then a huge snow year imperiled them further, [a UT lawmaker] is sponsoring a bill…that attempts to increase the deer and elk populations by controlling predator species like cougars and bears.
[Can’t link it — at parkrecord.com.]
UT recently increased cougar harvest quotas for the same reason….
9. MO adding AR-style pistols to handgun definition.
> …as gun manufacturers create new weapons, like shortened versions of AR-15-style rifles, the MO Department of Conservation decided it needed to update its definition of what a “handgun” actually is.
Sounds like you can comment on the proposed reg here on the DNR website.
10. MO: Senator wants to allow venison jerky at food pantries.
Solid. Hope it happens.
11. You CAN thaw, process and freeze venison.
12. PA: World’s biggest outdoor show happening now.
13. CAN: Officer breaks antler lock with 1 shot, both bucks go free (video).
14. TX: “Hank” is officially the state’s largest muley ever.
> On Jan 11 Hank officially was declared the biggest open-range mule deer taken by a hunter statewide since the TX Big Game Awards program began maintaining a registry of the state’s big game harvests in 1991.
That beast grossed 295 4/8″ and netted 292 1/8″ — dang!
15. CO: Muleys not significantly impacted by gas development.
> …had been an expectation that energy development has a long-term negative effect on things such as deer body condition, pregnancy rates and fawn survival. But…failed to find such impacts under most scenarios, indicating that deer can offset long-term impacts through behavioral changes that involve moving away from development activity.
> …researchers saw a similar number of deer and similar rates of population growth in areas of energy development activity, and areas lacking it….
Deer with bucket on its head eludes police
Sounds like a bad seed….
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Deer Disease News
1. MI: Free tags for landowners in CWD zone.
> As part of the disease control permit process, any deer taken must be submitted for CWD testing. After deer head(s) are properly tagged, labeled deer heads should be delivered to a local self-serve drop box or field office.
[Can’t link it — at theoutdoorwire.com.]
> “We need them to harvest animals because that’s going to be one of the biggest ways we’re going to be able to control this disease and contain it.”
DNR’s also wondering if less deer killed in 2 counties is because of CWD fears.
3. MN: Here’s 2019’s CWD results.
> …just over 18,000 samples from southeastern MN. Testing revealed 27 positives.
> In the newly formed north-central surveillance area… tested almost 13,000 samples. No new positives were identified, leading Carstensen to conclude that the disease has not been established in the area.
[Can’t link it — at echopress.com.]
Marathon, Dunn and Sheboygan.
> The new results have confirmed the disease in 24 game management units in the state where it previously hadn’t been found.
> Canadian deer hunters who went to the US to hunt deer and returned with symptoms of fever, severe headache, myalgia, and [joint] pain. [Blood] tests indicated a recent toxoplasmosis infection…and the risk factor identified was consumption of undercooked deer meat.
Sorry to hear that — nothing better than a seared-rare venison steak….
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New Stuff
1. ALPS OutdoorZ gets into the blind biz.
ALPS is known for making some nice packs. On this deal, sounds like while most blind companies are going bigger, ALPS is making a small one meant for one hunter:
> The uniquely-designed Deception blind is the only hub-style blind of its kind on the market. Featuring a low-profile of only 46″, the Deception is a lightweight blind perfectly suited for low-profile chairs….
2. Sig Sauer BDX system links rangefinder, scope and app.
> …download our BDX smartphone app and configure your rangefinder and or riflescope for your exact ballistics and environmental characteristics.
> BDX 2.0 also allows users to quickly and easily bond their rangefinders and sights with preset ballistic groups pre-loaded onto all BDX products that cover that vast majority of calibers on the market.
3. Federal goes all in on 6.5 Creedmoor ammo.
> The newest additions for 2020 include the 6.5 Creedmoor Swift Scirocco II, Terminal Ascent and the MeatEater Series Trophy Copper. Terminal Ascent is also available in 6.5 PRC.
[Can’t link it — at theoutdoorwire.com.]
4. Hornady has new Outfitter ammo.
> …created to perform in the toughest field conditions that hunters encounter. From sealed primers and case mouths to waterproof cases that are nickel-plated for corrosion resistance, the new Outfitter ammunition will not let hunters down just because of terrible hunting conditions.
5. HHA debuts new Tetra Max bowsight.
> The sight ring has been beefed up and is bigger than before, making it easier on the eyes. Shooting multiple arrows throughout the year? No problem. The new HHA Tetra Max includes 2 yard yardage wheels, making that switch between setups quick and easy. You can also change out the ultra-fine pointer for the magnifier and see your yardage marks like never before.
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Gear of the Week
Franchi aims Momentum Elite at deer hunters.
Franchi is known for its shotguns, but recently got into bolt-actions with the Momentum. At this year’s SHOT Show, they upped their rifle game with the new Momentum Elite, which American Hunter says is for deer nerds like us:
> Many of the features that appeared on the original Momentum will carry over the Elite guns, including a spiral-fluted 3-lug bolt, ergonomic synthetic stock, a cold hammer-forged barrel and TSA recoil pad. But unlike the original Momentum, the Elite version is available with a variety of stock colors and Cerakote metal finishes.
> They also come with a removable muzzle brake and a Picatinny top rail for optics mounting. …also come with a detachable box magazine. 3 caliber options are available in 2020: 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Win and .223 Rem.
> MSRP ranges from $849 to $899, which is very competitive for a rifle that offers this level of performance. The original Momentum rifle has a reputation as a tack driver, and when I tested that gun it was capable of sub-MOA accuracy with a variety of loads.
Nice price point, but the lack of caliber choices is a little disappointing. Hopefully they’ll offer more as the gun gains traction.
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Tip of the Week
Age a deer ONLY by his body.
How good are you at judging the age of a whitetail buck? Sometimes it’s more art than science: Swayed backs, swollen necks, Roman noses and worn teeth…for sure it’s not always foolproof.
How ’bout that buck ^ ? Take a guess, then keep reading.
Well…that deer was scientifically aged at just 3.5 years old — bettin’ that’s way younger than any of us would’ve guessed.
Bowhunting.com spoke with Kip Adams from QDMA for tips on accurately judging a deer’s years:
> “…young bucks almost always display hind quarters larger than their front ends. They have very little musculature in the chest and neck at that age. Once a buck has a larger chest and [larger] front shoulders than his rear end, he’s very likely at least 3 yrs old.
> “Once a buck is 4 yrs old, his rear end and front end will appear more symmetrical because his hind quarters now show more muscle development. When a buck is 5 years or older, he’ll typically exhibit a sway back and a sagging belly.
> “I tell people not to look at the antlers at all when estimating age. Big antlers on a young deer will make him appear older, and small antlers on an older deer will make him appear younger. Personally, I like to completely cover the antlers and estimate age solely on body characteristics.”
For all you tooth peeps, he said:
> “You can’t estimate age based on tooth wear nearly as accurately by opening the buck’s mouth and looking in. That’s because one of the most important things to examine is the back cusp of the last tooth in there. You simply can’t see it when it’s in the mouth.”
Interesting ain’t it?
If you’re looking to pay someone to use the scientific “cementum-annuli tooth aging process,” the post says only 3 places do it: matsonslab.com, deerage.com, ageyourdeer.com. We have no personal experience with these sites so can’t recommend any of ’em. Let us know if you’ve had a good experience….
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Quote of the Week
“‘Why’d you shoot THAT buck?’ What a nasty attitude.”
– The human soundbite (lol) Ted Nugent talkin’ on Deer & Deer Hunting’s site. Here’s the full quote:
> “You would have to find a really selfish elitist who would dictate his preference of hunting onto someone else. No one has that authority. No one has that right. I’ve seen where people quit hunting because of it. ‘Why’d you shoot THAT buck?’ What a nasty attitude.”
Ted’s said a lotta stuff but he’s 100% right here in our opinion. As long as legal hunters are within the regs, they have the right to shoot whatever deer they want. All good. Let’s support each other folks….
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Shot of the Week
Is it a wig? Curlers?? A man bun?? Nope it’s an NC deer that has “antleroma”…seriously, that’s what they call it. Pretty sure we’ve seen a few people with that too…?
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What’s the DB and who does it??
The DeerBlaster is a weekly roundup of the best, worst and funniest stuff about whitetail deer hunting culled from around the interwebz. We were kinda doing it already, just not the blastin’ it into your inbox part….
It’s put together by some deer nerds — Ted, Jay, Wade, couple more — from around the country. We excerpt content (and credit EVERYONE!), comment on content, do some original content — it’s an internet thing…. We do it because we can’t get enough deer hunting, hopefully you’re wired the same.
The DeerBlaster’s a work in progress, just like we are. Let us know what we can do better and thanks for readin’! Any issues, suggestions, whatever, just hit Reply to this email and we’ll get it. Thank you!
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