Thx for reading! If you’re getting the DeerBlaster for the first time it’s probably because a deer-crazed bud signed you up!
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This OH hunter waited a long time to get “Palmer”!
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> “I first saw him during the rut [in 2017]. The property we hunt borders a river, and he was on the other side cruising for does. I just watched him walk away through my binoculars.
> “Other than during the rut, Palmer rarely came to our side of the river. Only in Nov and Dec did I get any pictures of him. I did watch him several evenings during the late season, but always across the river.”
> On Nov 11, 2019, things were destined to change. Rick always takes off of work the first 10 to 12 days of Nov, and this was his last day to hunt.
> “It was one of those mornings that is almost too quiet. You’re afraid to move because a little noise sounds so loud. The temperature was in the low 30s. What little air was moving seemed to be out of the northeast.”
> Around 8:00, a lone doe eased through. It wasn’t long after her departure that a stick cracked behind Rick’s stand. He turned to look, and there stood the giant he’d thought about for 2 years.
> While the buck was distracted, Kisamore came to full draw, grunt-stopped the deer and settled the pin. The deer turned and looked back over his shoulder, and that’s when he took the broadside 26-yard shot.
> “It all happened so fast, but I’m glad. I don’t know if I could have kept it together….
> “You just have to play the wind. Your instincts will tell you where to go and what to try. It was a perfect morning to try rattling, but I opted to go with good old patience and it definitely paid off.”
Heck yeah it did! The buck measured 216 3/8 and was estimated at 7.5 yrs old.
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KY hunter got this big boy in its bedroom!
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“Hunt ’em in their bedroom” of course means getting close to their bedding areas (but not too close) for a better chance of seeing your target buck. That’s what Clint Connor did, and Buckmasters says it paid off big-time:
> Clint collected his first trail camera photograph of the deer he shot [last season] 2 years earlier…. The following year, the buck carried a 180″ rack…. Clint’s friend, Kelley Ries, was also collecting photos of the exceptional animal.
> The guys were looking for antlers where Clint suspected the buck was bedding, close to an old strip mine near Owensboro. They jumped 5 bucks, and the last one was the beast they’d nicknamed ‘Kickers.’
> “We just stood there like 2 kids in a candy store, in shock at finally seeing the big deer in the flesh, knowing he was still alive.”
> Toward the end of Oct, Clint went to the…blind with his 10-yr-old son, Grant, and they actually saw the deer. “The following afternoon, I wanted to get back in the blind early. I was in place by 2:30.”
> 2 hours into the hunt, Kickers approached to within 45 yards…. “He looked like a dang elk standing there.” …the deer even came 10 yards closer. Clint shot it when a doe’s arrival provided a distraction.
👊 Deer scored 198 2/8 and may be the 3rd biggest non-typ x-bow buck taken in KY. Lotta kickers, stickers and even an acorn tip on that dude!
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Huge NV velvet muley is one of the first this fall! 👀
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Top 5 sleeper whitetail states? 🤔
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> OK: What makes OK a must-hunt whitetail destination is the wallet-friendly tags, plentiful public land, and a booming population of deer. For $280, archery hunters, in most areas, can kill a pair of bucks as well as a few does. Plus, archery hunters from north to south to east to west will find no shortage of public dirt.
> CO: Yes, the state does have an all-draw system…but being that whitetail are an overlooked species, those that put in for the April draw are almost guaranteed a tag….
> ID: …archery tags available over the counter and endless acres of public ground, especially in the Panhandle region…the dense forests and steep, mountainous terrain of the north consistently produce some of the state’s highest-scoring bucks.
> IN: Each year the state produces several gagger bucks, and non-resident license costs are extremely friendly. The season is long, typically kicking off on Oct 1 and running through early Jan.
> MS: Areas around the Gulf typically start seeing rut activity in Jan, and with a season that runs from Oct through mid-Feb, you can plan a couple of trips. Public land abounds in the form of National Forests and Wildlife Management Areas…has 1.2-mil acres of National Forest where hunters can stretch their legs.
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Deer covid? Some questions.
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Okay we were gonna stay a million miles away from this, kinda like:
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😂 But after seeing all the press it’s getting across the country and even internationally, we (Jay) decided to just ask a few Qs. First what happened:
The US Dept of Ag allegedly “detected SARS-CoV-2 [covid-19] antibodies in samples of wild whitetail deer from locations in 32 counties spread across four states: IL, MI, PA and NY.”
The Natl Deer Assn and at least one state addressed it, saying there’s no apparent danger to hunters but there are some unknowns, and they included some prudent warnings. All good, but here’s a few Qs, starting with 2 facts that prompt the Qs:
1. The FDA stated in July that the most commonly used covid test is invalid, never actually worked, and can’t distinguish between corona and flu (and presumably other coronaviruses like the cold) so it is being discontinued.
2. According to a Swiss study: “…a ‘positive’ PCR test result at a cycle threshold of 35 or higher (as applied in most US labs and many European labs), the chance that the person [or deer?] is infectious is less than 3%. The chance that the person received a ‘false positive’ result is 97% or higher.”
IF those things are true, and IF they apply here – 2 big IFs – then here’s some deer-related Qs that basically boil down to needing more info:
– How were the deer tested exactly? Was it with a non-valid test or a for-sure valid one? If the test was valid, did the deer really have covid or did they have another coronavirus (cold-type virus)? Is there any way to tell for sure?
– Can deer carry covid? Do we know whether any animals commonly carry coronaviruses, which apparently are the most common (or one of the most common) viral form in the world? If so, can all animals/some/deer for-sure transfer these viruses to people?
– Why test deer in those states in particular – what was the reason for that?
If you know the answers, please let us know! ➡️ We don’t know the answers and aren’t trying to imply any. ⬅️ Just asking some Qs that might argue for caution and keeping an eye on this stuff – because if you look around the world, a lot of things are getting banned by governments (not the people) because of covid fear. We would hate to see that start to happen with deer hunting…and if that sounds crazy (which it does!), gotta look at what’s happening now in the world – would now have seemed crazy 2 years ago? 12 months ago? 🤔
Two more things:
– If not clear, we are NOT taking a position here, just asking Qs!
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Dr. Geist did tons of research on deer behavior and evolution plus:
> …was a driving force behind the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, which include…wildlife is a public resource…markets for game are eliminated…wildlife can only be killed for a legitimate purpose…the democracy of hunting: In keeping with democratic principles, government allocates access to wildlife without regard for wealth, prestige or land ownership.
Very cool, thank you and bless you Dr. Geist.
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> …challenge the Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) in court for blocking badly needed changes to deer hunting regulations in the UP that were proposed by the wildlife division of the MI DNR.
> Deer Hunters for Responsible UP Deer Management wants the NRC to adopt the
MI DNR’s recommended changes for UP deer hunting: 1 buck tag on combination deer licenses unrestricted, antlerless deer legal for bowhunters over the entire UP, x-bows legal during the Dec archery season.
Wounded deer are being found in FL and sounds like the Nuge (and others) recognizes it’s a potential black eye to legit hunters.
> A Herd Management Plan meeting is scheduled for 6 to 8pm on August 27 at the Underground Community Center in Creede.
Some GMUs are no longer open for the season.
> Hunters who purchase this tag can use it during archery season with a bow, during rifle season with a bow, rifle or muzzleloader or muzzleloader season with…a muzzleloader….
> The only caveat to the concurrent antlerless deer licenses is that you can only hunt the type of antlerless deer printed on the license and you have to stay in the assigned unit.
10. OK: Cherokee Nation hosting first controlled hunts.
Sounds like Cherokee folks only – can’t link it, at muskogeenow com:
> The inaugural controlled deer hunts will be designed for a limited number of Cherokee Nation elders, veterans, youth, and at-large Cherokee citizens who reside outside the state of OK.
Yes!
> “The needs of wildlife are exceeding what funding is provided by sportsmen.”
> …funding could come in the form of taxes on the sale of outdoor recreation gear like backpacks, which would mean the users who benefit from watching wildlife would be paying into conservation efforts much in the same way that hunters and anglers currently do.
Natl Deer Assn:
> …currently serves as the senior director of conservation for Bass Pro Shops. Prior to joining Bass Pro Shops, Ziehmer served over 25 years with the MO Dept of Conservation, and served as a member of the governor’s cabinet.
> This will be the 6th year to host Record Rack’s Bucks for the Brave event. This platform allows friends and family of those that have served, to nominate their heroes for a chance to win this once-in-a-lifetime hunting experience.
Good! Archery trade show….
17. 2A stuff.
Headline of the Day
Heck yeah it is! 👎
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Deer Disease News
Disease Management Area (DMA) 2….
> The discussion will focus primarily on three deer hunt areas: 41, east of Worland to the Bighorn Mountains; 47, from Greybull and Basin east to the Bighorn Mountains; 164, south of Worland to the Hot Springs County line.
> Deer hunt areas 35, 37, 39, and 40 will also be discussed…in the southeastern corner of the Bighorn Basin, next to Thermopolis.
> While whitetail deer, mule deer, an elk and several antelope suffered during “one of the worst outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD),” the North Dakota Game and Fish Department (NDGFD) is hopeful that the worst is behind them….
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> Yamaha gives the series a serious upgrade, adding more power and stellar performance with the new Wolverine RMAX 1000 side-by-sides.
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> With an IBO rating of 340 fps, the EnKore utilizes Elite’s ASYM Tri-Track Cam System and S.E.T. Technology to make tuning easy and frustration-free.
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> This far-reaching optic has been designed to meet the needs of the Western hunter, while still retaining a weight that is among the lightest in its class.
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> Thoroughly tested against shock, debris, dust, immersion, salt fog, vibration, extreme pressure-changes and so on.
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AlumaLite CTS ($309.99) and Multi-Vision ($199.99):
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> The outer shell of the 3-in-1 Parka is 100% waterproof. …200 grams of polyfill in the body, 150 grams in the sleeves and 80 grams of insulation in the collar.
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The ol’ M77 is nothing new, but maybe that’s what makes it so great – it’s a well-built, accurate, reasonably-priced deer rifle that’s stood the test of time, which says a lot. Guns.com took a new look at it:
> The Hawkeye Laminate .308 is a no-nonsense hunting rifle. Perhaps you could even call it a quintessential American deer rifle. This stainless rifle features a 22″ barrel with a 1:10 twist. …4-round magazine in the gray laminate stock.
> …3-position safety on the bolt shroud that allows the bolt to be locked closed or operated on safe. The 3rd position is obviously the firing one, which leads us to the trigger. The LC6 trigger is an improvement on the older M77 triggers, according to Ruger.
> Mounting the scope touches is one of the few things I don’t love about the M77. The built-in scope bases and the factory-supplied rings from Ruger are considered by many to be convenient. I thought the same many years ago. I have since come to dislike them somewhat. Personally, not having the ability to swap rings and/or optics around in a pinch is quite irritating.
> The lightweight little Ruger was a pleasant carry when compared to the rifles that are 10 lbs or heavier that I am used to carrying.
> I stretched the gun out a little bit shooting the Hornady 155-grain match ammunition and was happy to see…few things within a reasonable distance that I couldn’t hit. Making hits on 10″ targets inside 400 yards was easy….
> Whether your taste favors high-end hunting rifles or the clearance rack at Walmart, the Ruger M77 Hawkeye would serve a lifetime or two as your main hunting rifle.
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Pre-season, some guys barely like to set foot in the woods for fear of pressuring the herd, but other guys stealth their way in there to gather intel and trailcam cards. Andrae D’Acquisto, owner of Lone Wolf Custom hunting products, does it differently. He told MeatEater that hunters need to “hunt like a wolf:”
> He advises deer hunters to “run the living h*ll out of a property.”
> When scouting new dirt, he begins with a perimeter check, then meticulously dissects the interior, looking for food sources, bedding areas and other sign. All this data goes into the memory bank but isn’t quite the…be-all when it comes to stand site selection.
> While apps and topographical maps can be helpful for some hunters…he believes that hunters should “learn a property the way the deer know it.”
> He says trail cameras can be helpful…for taking inventory of bucks…but hunters shouldn’t rely on this technology to do the scouting work for them either. The best bet for killing big bucks is to know their home range inside and out.
> D’Acquisto doesn’t just hang a stand for the year then sit there hoping something happens. He makes the magic happen by moving on ever-evolving intel to fine-tune his portable setup. “It’s hunting, not sitting around waiting to kill them. It’s a daily grind.”
> You can’t get too caught up on old scrapes and rubs. What was fresh sign pre-season could be months-old history come Oct. “Read sign from all times of year but get it out of your mind that it’ll put a head on your wall come fall. I need sign from the previous day or day-of before I set up a stand.”
> “They’re constantly moving. Everything’s changing. If you want to get it in the game, you’ve got to be aggressive. Don’t worry about messing everything up.”
Interesting….
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“Fixed-blade broadheads are just better than mechanicals.”
> I’ve been bowhunting for 24 years, and I’ve shot dozens and dozens of critters with mechanical broadheads.
> I’m not saying they don’t work, or even that they don’t work well. But I have seen them fail to perform as advertised.
> [Deer processor:] “Most of the deer that come in have been killed with a rifle – and I cannot tell you how many mechanical broadheads we’ve pulled out of them. These were deer that were shot with a bow and survived, to be later killed with a gun. We find anywhere from 10 to a dozen mechanicals every year, but only occasionally will we find a fixed head.”
> Only 40% of the broadheads I’ve tested in the past two years have survived the [cattle] rib test completely unscathed—that’s including fixed blades. But only 9% of mechanicals have survived it.
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Look at the SIZE of these boys!! 🤯 Seen on Reddit’s r/hunting, posted by AirKing 82, says the deer were found taking a stroll in Nashville. EMOJ If you’re interested in suburban hunting, NA Whitetail has some good tips:
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What’s the DB and who does it?
The DeerBlaster is a weekly roundup of the best, funniest, newest and most important stuff about whitetail deer hunting – culled from around the interwebz for DIEHARD whitetail hunters and blasted into your inbox.
The DB is put together by some deer nerds 😁 – Ted, Jay, others – from around the country. We excerpt content (and credit EVERYONE!), comment on content, do some original content…because we can’t get enough deer hunting – bet you’re wired the same!
The DeerBlaster’s a work in progress, just like we are. 😂 Any issues, suggestions, whatever, just hit Reply to this email and we’ll get it. Thank you for reading!
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