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Pro angler Clark Wendlandt rattles in a FREAK!
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First saw that pic on pro bass angler Clark Wendlandt’s ‘gram — honestly, we’ve never seen such a weird, unique but also amazingly symmetrical rack on a whitetail.
Had to give the Bassmaster Elite Series pro and three-time FLW Angler of the Year a shout, and here’s what he said:
> I got the bug to hunt the brush country years ago in south TX when I was 16. For the last 20 years we have been blessed to go to the brush country of Mexico, where the land is big and beautiful and the deer plentiful.
> This year…it was an afternoon hunt and I saw the deer at about 600 yards, just going through an opening. I use a spotting scope and was lucky to get a good look…. All I knew was it was big and really different.
> The deer worked his way my way for most of the afternoon, and about 30 minutes before dark I saw him come out of a brush clump, right at me. It was a very windy afternoon and though I had a shot at about 250 yards, I didn’t want to risk the shot.
> The deer…started going away from me. I thought I had blown my chance and grabbed my rattling horns. I hit them together for about 20-30 seconds and couldn’t see any sign of the deer.
> I started glassing and all of a sudden there he was, 80 yards away. He had come on a dead run to get there, but the brush was thick. He looked at a doe that happened to be right near me and I grabbed my gun and made the shot. It is truly one of my most memorable hunts.
> On a side note, we had never seen this deer, but a cowboy on the ranch had found one of his sheds. When we saw the shed, we actually thought the way it grew was probably him banging his antlers on something as it was growing. But the rack matched the shed exactly. The deer aged at 6.5 years old.
GREAT rack, Clark, congrats! Btw he shot the deer with a .280 Ackley.
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TN hunter finally gets his cactus velvet buck.
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Awesome story about a Logan Hank’s 3-year obsession with tagging a huge “cactus buck.” Science-wise it’s called “cryptorchidism” — when a buck’s, uh, cojones, don’t drop, its antlers grow year-round and never shed their velvet. The TN Wildlife Resources Agency had the deets:
> The…deer near Covington was familiar to the locals and was well known to hang out behind Walmart. Logan was just lucky enough to own a farm approximately 200 acres beside the buck’s favorite hangout.
> Logan told his wife, “I’ve got to hunt this deer every day to the end of the season,” and he did. He never saw the buck until Jan 2.
> As Logan reached for his rifle the first doe spotted him and busted [him]. All the deer scattered. The buck ran back to the top of the hill, stood perfectly broadside, and looked back toward Logan at 100 yards. Logan took an off-hand, no rest shot at 5:06 pm. The buck dropped immediately in his tracks but fell on the backside of the hill, out of Logan’s sight.
> …Logan covered 100 yards in near-record time to get to the buck.
We’d be like:
Huge props to him for the PERSISTENCE!
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Big ol’ drop tine for Xpedition Archery owner.
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Lookit that incredibly wide IA heavy-horned drop tine! Taken by Mark Heck, who owns bowmaker Xpedition Archery…but he wasn’t using one of his own bows….
KIDDING! Hahaha nice one Mark!
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Check out the Umarex AirSaber launched at the ATA show (archery trade show):
> Driven by air and equipped with full-length arrows, it is the most technologically intense arrow rifle introduced for 2020. It’s “stacked” for scoped performance with Umarex technologies including Quick Valve Release, PCP Release, High Pressure Shaft, Adapta Point, and Straight Flight…. The combination of these Umarex Technologies ensures maximum impact and accuracy at over 450 fps and 169 fpe.
American Airgunner got the first look:
Pretty sweet — but the Umarex site says it’s only legal in 10 states right now. Guess it solves at least one issue:
lol (a little)
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“I’m goin’ huntin’ right now, you’re not tellin’ me what to do!”
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This lil dude was talkin’ his future wife/huntin’ plans — we think at deer camp? — got 5.5 MILLION views on Facebook:
Full quote, best as we can make it out:
> “I don’t want a girl, I don’t even like a wife because what if they say, ‘You can’t go huntin’.’ I’ll just go like, ‘Well, I’m goin’ huntin’ right now, you’re not tellin’ me what to do!”
LOL! Good luck with that lil buddy, lots of us have tried and failed at that deal!
He swings around that 7-Up can like a BOSS too….
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News
1. Drurys give away 60-acre MO farm!
As part of Drury Outdoors’ 30th anniversary celebration:
> Denny Lachcik from Jefferson City, MO got the surprise of his life when he was contacted by the folks at Drury Outdoors and told him that he won the grand prize and will be receiving title to his new 60-acre farm in Putnam County, MO!
> The Drurys also planted some food plots, installed gates, and are even providing him with the latest intel on how they recommend hunting the property in the future.
> Heck, they even stocked the pond on the farm with bass, bluegill, and catfish!
> …Reconyx is providing him with 6 trail cameras…and Mossy Oak gave him a $1,000 gift card to their online store.
> As a final cherry on top, Mark and Terry Drury presented Denny with a $25,000 check to cover all the taxes and fees associated with receiving the property.
One lucky dude/family!
2. AL publishes new “rut map.”
Says the ‘Bama rut can begin as early as Nov 10, and end as late as Feb 8.
3. OH: Muzzleloader harvest down 25%.
10,615 killed this year vs 14,168 last year. Lousy opening day weather probly factored in.
4. ID surveyed hunters to plan whitetail management.
> The majority…were satisfied with their deer hunting opportunities, and 44% of hunters who responded to the 2018 survey reported killing an antlerless deer.
> Some hunters…were dissatisfied with hunter congestion in some areas, caused primarily by out-of-state deer and elk hunters, and with the low percentage of large — more than 5-point — whitetails.
5. NC: Hunters debate deer-dog hunting on Pee Dee River land.
> Proposal G-7, which would prohibit the pursuing or chasing of deer with dogs for the purposes of training or hunting on the Pee Dee River Game Land, produced passionate responses from hunters on both sides of the issue.
> Commission vice chairman Monty Crump…said, “Folks need to understand that our (the commission’s) authority only applies to game lands. Private lands that border game lands are out of our jurisdiction.”
6. MO: St. Louis to allow hunting next season.
Experts say anything over 30 deer per square mile is too many. Here’s the mayor:
> “We have watched our population grow from 26 [per square mile to]…3 years ago, it was 42 deer per square mile. We’re taking it again this year and expect it to be between 55-60 deer per square mile.”
7. PA teens charged with deer cruelty.
That “deer abuse” video that got a lot of eyeballs not too long ago. From the article:
> Charged are Alexander Brock Smith, 18, and a 17-year-old juvenile male. Each faces two felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty and two felony counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated animal cruelty, as well as several other misdemeanor and summary counts.
8. More big-box outdoor stores are closing.
Sign o’ the times. Gander hasn’t been profitable in years, and we all knew the Bass Pro-Cabela’s marriage would generate some overlap.
Gander Outdoors’ owner will close 27 stores by the end of the month, and Cabela’s will close 2 stores this year (so far), one in GA and the other in VA.
9. Scottish people encouraged to hunt “wild deer”…
…”to help the planet.” Wish we heard the same thing over here….
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Deer Disease News
…and “se*ual tissues of prion-infected whitetail deer bucks:”
> Previous studies have shown that infected animals can shed CWD prions into the environment through urine, feces and saliva. …”make a compelling argument as to the role of the environment contamination in CWD transmission in both natural and captive settings.”
> They suspect though, that other mechanisms are involved, including…translocation of the infectious agent by scavengers, vertical transmission from mother to offspring, and potentially, transmission through se*ual contact.
[You’re seeing “se*ual” because we don’t wanna be flagged as spam!]
National Deer Alliance, to help stop the spread of CWD:
> “We appreciate the state’s proactive approach to protect wild deer and to take the time necessary to investigate the situation and develop a plan of action.”
> “The DNR passes a bogus 30-day ban on movement, and who does it affect the hardest? Me,” said Porter, who has a history of criticizing the DNR for its CWD management policies. “I’m sitting here saying I’m going to lose all of my winter show income.”
3. WI: 100+ cases of CWD at farms in the last year.
[At superiortelegram.com — can’t link it.]
> …more than 400 cases of CWD at WI deer farms and hunting ranches since it was first detected in the state almost 2 decades ago. But more than a quarter of those were reported in just over the last year….
First positives in the southwest region.
> Compared to last season, the doe harvest declined about 20% this season in the 8 west TN counties identified as the epicenter of the outbreak in the state….
> Among 13,000 deer in TN tested for a fatal brain disease since Sept, 409 tested positive. “I thought it might be higher…. At the same time, I’m not really relieved,” state expert says.
> …collected nearly 4,700 heads from hunters, road-killed deer and whitetails reported as diseased. “We still have several hundred of those pending lab testing.”
> At least 1 case has been found in 13 of AR’s 75 counties, all in northern AR. Independence County has the farthest east confirmed case. Scott County is the farthest south, and only one case has been confirmed since 2016.
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New Stuff
1. ATA new gear roundups!
Bows: Petersen’s Bowhunting has a nice roundup of the offerings from Bear, Bowtech, Elite, Hoyt, Mathews, and all the others.
Trailcams: Deer & Deer Hunting has a roundup of the newest stuff from Browning, Bushnell, Cuddeback, Moultrie, Reconyx, Spypoint, Stealth Cam, and Wildgame Innovations.
2. Swagger showcases Stalker QD42 bipod for x-bows.
> The Stalker QD encompasses Flex Ready Technology, the primary feature that made Swagger the first true hunting bipod.
We’ve had a chance to play with these and they truly are infinitely adjustable.
3. Trijicon aims at deer hunters with new Huron scopes.
Models ranging from 1-4×24 to 3-12×40:
> …comes with the high-quality glass, proven precision and rugged construction…along with a price that lets you invest heavily in your other hunting gear.
4. Elite launches Ember bow.
Looks like a good candidate for a youth bow:
> While a typical 2-cam bow lacks a defined backwall when set at lower poundages, the Ember is designed with a limb stop, which promises to give a solid and defined wall, even at a 20-lb draw weight.
Pack in your inflatable ground blind. [At theoutdoorwire.com — can’t link it.]
> TrueTimber has announced the launch of a revolutionary air-filled ground blind series that gives hunters a smarter, faster and wildly more efficient option compared to traditional ground blind technology.
Ameristep’s new Thermal Blind keeps you toasty.
> The unique 5-hub design creates an asymmetrical shape wrapped in Mossy Oak Elements Terra…. It’s also wrapped in warmth, with heavy-duty quilted fabric adding insulated protection on every exposed surface: roof, walls and windows.
6. Mystery Ranch Pop Up 38 pack.
[At theoutdoorwire.com — can’t link it.]
> The backpack originated from hunters’ feedback wanting a bigger pack option on Mystery Ranch’s…Pop Up frame series.
> The 2-part lid keeps key items within reach while helping to secure and protect spotting scopes and tripods that are stashed in the outer, compressible pocket.
7. More new stuff.
Killer Instinct Speed 425 x-bow = 425 fps.
Barnett Hyperflite EVO 420 x-bow = 420 fps, lots more features.
New Easton 6.5 Matrix shafts:
> …ultra-lightweight model that uses Easton’s Acu-carbon seamless process…results in a seamless shaft delivering a virtually perfect spine and weight across every production run.
Put ZeroTrace PureION no-scent tech in your truck.
Can’t link it but here’s the addy: www.theoutdoorwire.com/releases/562909e1-6214-400b-8419-365cff446518
New Realtree pattern stuff.
Offerings from ScentLok, Rocky, Muck, ArticShield and others.
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Gear of the Week
TenPoint Vapor RS470 x-bow.
A lot of cool stuff dropped at ATA last week, but seemed like the new TenPoint crossbows — especially the flagship Vapor RS470 — was the talk of the show. Their marketing tagline is “This Changes Everything” and we gotta say — looks like that’s dead on.
Christian Berg from Petersen’s Bowhunting has a detailed first look:
> TenPoint’s all-new Vapor RS470 generates blistering speed that makes it the fastest crossbow on the market. And thanks to a game-changing new cocking and de-coking system, it also may be the safest.
> The Vapor RS470 literally takes a back seat to no crossbow, thanks to its ability to send bolts downrange at an almost mind-boggling 470 fps.
> …RX-7 Cams that rotate an industry-leading 404 degrees during the draw cycle. This increases the amount of energy stored in the system and provides a “turbo boost” of speed upon launch that TenPoint calls Sling-Shot technology.
> Speed is also increased via a long, 17″ power stroke made possible by the bow’s reverse-draw configuration that points the Dual Flex limbs away from the shooter….
> The ACUslide silently cocks and de-cocks the string via a high-strength ratchet strap attached to the rear of the trigger box. …several innovations…chief among them is an internal braking system that prevents the cocking handle and/or bowstring from moving if the handle is released at any point during the cocking.
> …all-new S1, 3.5-lb 2-stage trigger that features a first stage during which the shooter takes up all the slack in the trigger until it reaches the breaking point. The trigger then stops until sufficient pressure is applied to activate the second stage, releasing the string.
> Although the RS470’s incredible speed will definitely turn heads, to me the ACUslide system is the biggest game-changer this crossbow has to offer. Cocking and de-cocking the bowstring with this system truly is simple, easy and — best of all — worry-free.
What’s not to like? Well…how ’bout a price tag of $2,899-$2,999. That’s a ton of green…but it’s also a lot of good stuff packed into an x-bow….
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Tip of the Week
That’s a good reason to listen when he says something, like his thoughts about tarsal glands:
> Nothing smells like a deer more than a deer. That’s why, whenever I manage to shoot one — whether it’s a buck or a doe — it’s not going to the processor until after I’ve removed the hocks and stuffed them into a plastic freezer bag. You might call me a tarsal hoarder!
> I usually set one out on the ground beneath my stand as I walk in, and attach one to a nearby limb once I’ve settled in the treestand. When hunting from a shooting house or blind, I simply set one in a window on the downwind side. I also like to rub the bill of my cap with the tarsal before I walk to my stand.
[Pretty sure that hat’ll never make it in the house again LOL!]
> I highly recommend keeping tarsal glands in the freezer until it’s time to head to the field. Guys, I also highly recommend you warning your wives, girlfriends and mothers what you’re about to do. They sometimes don’t take kindly to finding a bag of stinky deer hair while pulling out the frozen lasagna.
> Commercial scents and scent-eliminators can fool a deer’s nose pretty doggone well. I truly believe that today’s technological advances in hunting gear help control odors. And if you pair the modern stuff with this good old-fashioned deer hunter’s tactic, you are going to add more venison to your freezer.
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Quote of the Week
“…the 6.5 Creedmoor is way too young to be considered a viable cartridge for anything, let alone to be considered one of the best long-range cartridges ever.”
– Philip Massaro writin’ on AmericanHunter.org — “4 Reasons to Hate the 6.5 Creedmoor.” Couldn’t resist reading it lol! Couple more choice lines:
> The Creedmoor is the one cartridge you should buy your kid. The Creedmoor is the new all-around North American cartridge. The Creedmoor is all any rifleman needs. Sell all your other rifles and buy a Creedmoor.
> A well-built 140-grain bullet at 2750 fps, put in the vital organs of an animal, will always get the job done, providing it will reach those vitals. Common sense should prevail, as it always should, when choosing a cartridge to properly handle a particular game animal.
> The Creedmoor works better in the confines of a short-action magazine, as the case is short enough to handle the longer ogive bullets, where the .260 Remington has trouble with the seating depth.
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Shot of the Week
Amazing trailcam shot from Rancho Buena Vista in northern MX. Looks from the series of shots that this deer fought for nearly 12 hours before dying. Maybe some anti-hunters need to see ’em:
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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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