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FL hunter lucks into a big’n!
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Yep we’ve all screwed up hunting — maybe forgetting to mute a phone, or forgetting a key piece of gear, or maybe just falling asleep or another #huntfail. But sometimes…guess it doesn’t matter?
Like for FL’s Ben Still. He and some buds drove to OH to hunt 1,130 acres of public land they knew almost nothing about. First afternoon they drove into the parking area and…it was full of Amish buggies! Ben told Buckmasters things went downhill from there:
> [Ben and his buddies] started out following a hardwood bottom between a cut cornfield and CRP. It was impossible to miss the rub line that included 30 to 40 ravaged trees 10 yards apart.
> …jumped an 8-pointer…Ben attached his climber to an oak tree. From his 30′-high perch he could see the parking lot.
> Ben was happy as a clam until his phone rang less than an hour into his vigil. “It rang at top volume, announcing my location to every deer in the county.”
> “I’m thinking, Nobody in his right mind would have chosen this spot. That’s when I decided to try a snort-wheeze. I blew the call only once.”
> The next time he looked toward the parking lot, he saw a buck a mere 30 yards from it, coming his way. Soon, he saw a drop tine.
> The wide-eyed hunter stopped the buck with a mouth-bleat before firing his crossbow’s only bolt. The quiver holding the rest was at the base of his tree.
Ben found the deer 60 yards from his stand! [mind blown emoji] Lol how crazy is that whole deal!
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They grow BIG south of the border!
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Whoa! Ridiculously HUGE buck taken south of the border at @lascuevasranch:
> Old buck from last season with great mass! If you zoom in you can see a cool little drop tine on the base of his left antler….
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MO archer dropped a 189-inch…doe??
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Awesome deer whatever it is! Symmetrical, nice mass, tall tines, even split brows. But what makes that deer truly unique is what’s on the other end of it — it’s a FEMALE deer!?!?
Shot in 2014 by Doug Laird, a diehard deer brother from MO. Doug lost an arm in a conveyor accident but that doesn’t stop him from hunting, and every fall he’d hunt with a specially-adapted compound bow before switching to a rifle.
NA Whitetail says Doug shot the deer Nov 15, and he and a buddy recovered it the next morning, just 50 yards away:
> Doug finally got a good look at his deer and was astounded by the size of the rack. “My first thought was that I’d shot the biggest buck of my life.”
> When Doug and Alan started to gut the deer, they were blown away by the surprise they found. As Alan picked up the hind legs of the monster “buck” for field dressing, he turned to Doug in total shock and said: “This is a doe!”
> There’s reason to think this is the largest-antlered female whitetail ever documented. Although unique in the most obvious of ways, Doug’s doe is even more rare in the fact she’d rubbed her antlers and was “hard-horned.”
Crazy! Post says the deer scored 189 1/8, which makes it the only doe in the P&Y record book. Talk about unique!
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“Hunt” the P&Y World Record 3D archery course.
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So cool! Get a chance to “hunt” with some of the most legendary deer (and other critters) in the P&Y record book at Mountain Archery Fest. Owner Brandon Waddell:
> “This is an educational course where shooters attempt to duplicate the angle and distance of the shots taken to harvest each of the 29 P&Y North American world records. All antlers and horns were replicated to match actual animals.”
> …sign at each station educates shooters about the species, world record holder, and a short story about the hunt.
> Targets and antlers were created by Kirsch Targets and Antlers by Klaus to represent the proportionate world record size of the species. Shot distances range from 30 to 80 yards.
One more chance to try the course, July 17-19 in Durango, CO.
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Carbon or aluminum for a new bow?
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It’s the time of year to think about buying a new bow, and 1 question is whether to go aluminum or carbon fiber. Bow tech Caleb Drake of Advantage Archery has a few things you should think about in this First Lite video:
> …a lot of guys ask if it’s worth the money to have a carbon instead of aluminum bow. Pros and cons, for one we’re talking weight. It’s about a half-pound heavier for an aluminum bow.
> …if you’re that guy walking 400-500 yards into a treestand, weight’s probably not that critical. If you’re a western hunter, where you’re bivvying in 9 or 10 miles, every ounce counts. So that’s where you can justify the cost of the carbon bows.
> When you break down the performance side of it, both bows shoot really well. It’s all in the shooter. I’d recommend shooting both bows and you have to be able to justify it.
> I didn’t buy it at first, but everyone talks about how carbon stays warmer in the wintertime, on cold hunts — it’s definitely a factor. An aluminum bow holds that ambient temperature more and it transfers into your hand.
> A lot of guys argue that to get a carbon bow to shoot right, you have to put more weight on it, and that’s a fact. But the cool thing with starting with a light bow is that we can put the weight where we need it to make it as stable and accurate as any aluminum bow on the market.
So…sounds like not that different except for $$ and weight if you’re walking a ton. If you’re getting a new bow this year, let us know if it’ll be carbon or aluminum.
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News
1. PA: We lost 2 deer brothers to lightning.
> …were working on the deer stand in an open field…about 1:45 pm when what he called an aggressive storm with violent lightning hit. All 4 sought shelter under a large wood platform that had a deer blind on top, he said.
> Lightning struck the stand and traveled to an aluminum ladder. [The 2 men] were in direct contact with the ladder at that moment, Carman said.
Bless their families.
2. QDMA and NDA merge.
Big news in the biz:
> …the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) and the National Deer Alliance (NDA) today reveal a joint venture that unifies their 2 organizations into what will soon become a new super-group in deer conservation.
> Nick Pinizzotto, president and CEO of NDA, will lead the new group. “While there’s no question the crisis created by [Covid] has hit many organizations hard, we are turning the tables by using the situation, combined with the many challenges deer and hunters are facing, as an opportunity to become laser-focused on delivering a mission that serves deer, hunters and industry effectively and efficiently.”
Seeing some more consolidation in conservation groups: Buckmasters and SCI recently teamed up, and the American Woodcock Society was acquired by the Ruffed Grouse Society.
3. UT: Remaining deer permits sold online only.
4. WV deer herd should be in good shape.
> “We had abnormally mild weather through the winter months, so deer should have made it through the winter on a pretty high nutritional plane. Reproduction appears to be pretty good.”
5. IN: State park deer hunt applications open soon.
Cant link it, at in.gov
6. PA: Antlerless licenses go on sale soon.
> PA residents are given preference…and resident hunters may apply for their first antlerless licenses beginning Mon, July 13.
7. OR now allows “group purchases” for hunting licenses.
Interesting — do any other states do this? At myodfw.com:
> Creating a purchase group allows you to buy licenses, tags and other documents for family and friends, both online and at agents.
8. NH anti hunting contests bill dies.
> Would have banned wildlife contests, including field trials, coyote hunts and big buck competitions…part of a national trend backed by the Humane Society of the US and other animal-rights groups to outlaw lawful hunting activities.
9. Has less vehicle traffic helped deer numbers?
Less traffic from Covid:
> If social distancing continues and there is a significant decrease in traffic through the fall, we could see a bigger impact on roadkill numbers. The highest percentage of deer-vehicle collisions come in Nov…when rutting bucks are chasing does.
10. WV: KY men allegedly poached bucks in bow areas.
Looks like some nice ones:
11. NY: Staten Island bags deer vasectomies.
Needed budget cuts…that’s what they’ve done instead of allowing hunting….
12. TX Trophy Hunters cancel shows.
Hate to hear it but understandable:
> The gatherings had been scheduled for the end of July and beginning of Aug in Houston, San Antonio and Fort Worth. Altogether, the shows typically draw about 55,000 people.
13. Dallas Safari Club moves its show…
…from Jan to Feb 11-14.
14. GSM Outdoors buys another one.
This time it’s Skull Hooker:
> …Skull Hooker has designed rugged, easy-to-install mounting systems to help hunters showcase their trophy game animals.
15. Inside Archery and Bowhunt America mags sold.
VA governor wants to revisit banning lost of stuff
Check out Trump’s and Biden’s gun statements — Can’t link it, at: gunvote.org
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New Stuff
1. Swarovski NL Pure binos.
> The NL Pure has the largest ever field of view ever, and on top of that, barely-perceptible edges that really make glassing that much better. Add to that…lens coatings that guarantee everything you glass will be crystal clear and perfect colors.
2. Sevr Robusto 2.0 x-bow broadhead.
> …couples SEVR’s patented rear-deploy locking-pivoting blade technology and features a fluted, hardened-steel ferrule that provides maximum strength and higher front-of-center (FOC)….
> …weighs an FOC-boosting 150 grains for improved accuracy and increased momentum. …2″ cut diameter Max-Cut 2.0 blade technology for improved penetration. Robusto is assembled with a machined one-piece ferrule and precision-ground tip.
3. Check out the new 22′ Primal Treestand.
Mac Daddy ladder stand:
> Primal utilizes a grip jaw and truss-stabilizer system, which locks the stand in tight before you even begin your ascent to attach ratchet straps.
4. BOG gets into the trailcam biz.
> Featuring a patented, removable menu with 3″ viewing screens…sub-0.2-second trigger speeds, 5 capture modes, up to a year of battery life and a 120′ flash range.
5. New American camo brand: Forloh.
Here’s the pattern:
6. ALPS Outdoorz Hybrid X pack looks legit.
> The Hybrid X combines an internal frame meat hauler with a detachable 2,750-cu-in top-load pack that offers the ability to carry essentials and haul meat out after a successful hunt.
7. Tenzing has a couple new packs too.
> The new Hangtime Backpack and Hangtime Lumbar Pack feature a rigid, EVA-molded shell that holds its shape, allowing fast…access to contents without fear of spilling them far below.
8. ‘Merica! Savage releases the Star Spangled Rascal.
Yep the Rascal’s a .22, but what young’n hasn’t sent a few downrange from one of these little guns? And who wouldn’t want one wrapped in red, white and blue??
9. Garmin expands solar-powered watches.
> Instinct Solar can provide unlimited battery life with sufficient solar exposure in Battery Saver mode. Using Expedition Mode with sufficient solar exposure, Instinct Solar provides increased GPS functionality while still delivering over two months of battery life.
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Gear of the Week
Muddy’s new Infinity ground blind is turning heads.
Now’s the time to start placing and brushing-in ground blinds — Brodie Swisher at Bowhunting.com has a review of the new Muddy Infinity:
> A few of this blind’s features that quickly jump out as elements of a great blind are visibility, ease in setup, quality camo, brush straps and adjustable windows.
> Shadow Mesh allows you to see out but game can’t see in. This creates a true 360-degree viewing scenario to maximize visibility and increase shot opportunities. Say goodbye to game sneaking in from your backside or blinds spots on your sides.
> Memory Wire allows you to customize your window setup. Different hunts deliver different shooting scenarios, and the Memory Wire allows you to open and close windows for the perfect window configuration for the particular setup you’re hunting on any given day.
> The Infinity features 2 rows of brush straps to make the brushing job much easier. In a matter of minutes you can add trimmed brush, branches, corn stalks, or grass into these straps to make the blind seemingly disappear.
One of the best things about the new Muddy blind is it’s $200 for a 2-man blind and $280 for a 3-man. That’s a couple Benjamins cheaper than other see-through blinds.
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Tip of the Week
Advantages of summer scouting.
Hunting is a 24/7/365 deal! But starting this month we really start thinking about the coming season. Here in TX it’s tough to do much right now other than check a trailcam now and then, and the critters aren’t real active in this heat. But in other areas of our country, scouting is possible and productive. Rokslide with some insight:
> I get a sense the majority of hunters believe that the closer you scout to the season, the better. Also, I have heard many say that anything before mid-July and you can’t tell how big a buck or bull will be.
> I scout a lot each year, from early as possible up through the seasons. I have found this early timeframe to be the most productive time to spot animals easily. Also, I find antler growth to be far enough along to know [whether] you are or aren’t looking at a big-antlered animal.
> I often find that the animals are out feeding more routinely for longer. I believe this is because the habitat is reaching its peak productiveness, which often coincides with animals still trying to gain what they lost during the winter and growing the majority of their antlers.
> I also find that in a lot of country the terrain is still very green, and the redder, darker coats pop in contrast. Often I can cover a lot of country quickly and pick up a majority of animals very quickly during prime glassing times.
> I have found and do believe big bucks are easier to find in this period not only because of the circumstances listed but because they are less wary.
> …not saying early scouting is better…. I spend most of my time scouting for clients from mid-July into Sept. …[those] few weeks in June and early July are in my opinion an overlooked scouting period that offers us an excellent opportunity to find out what the country holds and where the animals are.
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Quote of the Week
“The store owner gave him some chocolate chip cookies. The deer left the store and returned after half an hour with all his family members.”
– Never mind the “wisdom” of feeding a deer cookies, looks legit?
Maybe an idea for a new scent spray…lol! We all know someone who’d try it!
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Shot of the Week
Wow! Props to a dude named Pat Hill for this blind made outta Ghost Blind panels: #Predatormovie
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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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