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Rutting deer + big-time cold front = deer hunting greatness!!!
First couple weeks in Nov are “it” for deer hunters across the country, and the big ol’ cold front that came south has those bucks a-moving. We hear there’s a bad case of DeerBlasteritis going around…you might have to call in sick lol!
Today’s Top 5
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HUGE-bodied, 13-point named “Tank”!!
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Talk about a monstah! Always love those ginormous Midwest deer…. There’s Hulk-type mass on that rack, plus a sweet drop and a split brow tine. Was shot by Charlie Rehor in eastern KS, a place fo sho known for bruisers. Charlie posted the deets on Bowsite.com:
> This is the heaviest deer I’ve ever shot. We had to winch him up from a ditch and it took three of us to load him on the Polaris.
> Last year I started using the Vortex broadheads and this deer was #10. They work really well. This deer was quartering away at 17 yards. He went 60 yards and gurgled his last breath. Takes a lot to drain these big boys!
> When I started bowhunting deer 38 years ago I only dreamed of these kind of bucks. For many years I hunted in the Northeast and learned to bowhunt basically by filling any tag I could and also failing. There is still much to learn.
> We didn’t weigh the buck but as I said he was my heaviest. Much of this success is luck and perseverance. It doesn’t happen that often.
Lovin’ that he learned by doing and succeeded by persevering. Huge props to him!
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Check out the brows on this gnarly old beast!
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Talkin’ about the deer, not pro bass fisherman dude Chris Groh (lol) who smacked this 8-YEAR-OLD northern IL buck with a stick and string — from his Insta:
> A monarch, a legend, a mythical creature. All that know me know my passion for bowhunting whitetail, and those people and many others have heard the stories about this Chain beast we named Daggers.
> Well, magic happened last night. I killed him, 8 years old, 6 years of pics, sightings — he has made my last 6 years of hunting childlike, the feeling of your first buck. Sure in that 6 years I’ve killed bigger bucks than him.
> But his story and [the] constant thought that he could show up at any time creates that euphoric high. My emotions are high at the moment. I’m just getting grounded with the fact I killed a legend of my local forest area I grew up in, very surreal.
^ Definitely an OLD deer. Way to go Chris, congrats dude!
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How we change what bucks do.
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And other interesting stuff, from a Mississippi State study. Researchers at tagged and collared 55 mature bucks in 2016 and tracked them for a couple of years. What they learned was pretty dang interesting:
> …northern [US] deer are known to migrate from one home range in warmer months to dense coniferous habitat in the winter that protects them from snow and wind in colder months. Similar behavior was exhibited in the [MS] study as some of the bucks had 2 home ranges…why that happens in MS’s mild climate is unknown.
> Where and how far bucks move during hunting season was also eye-opening. As expected, bucks moved more and extended outside of their early season areas dramatically during the pre-rut, rut and post-rut periods. In Oct, mature bucks traveled a total path length of about 1,500 yards daily. The distance peaked during the early rut at just over 2,400 yards.
> The size of the area where the bucks traveled also increased as the season progressed, but not in direct correlation to the distance traveled. In Oct the area traveled daily…was just under 1,000 yards…peaked in the late rut at just over 1,600 yards.
> With much greater movement, it would stand to reason that sightings of mature bucks would increase…but the increase in movement comes at a time when hunting pressure is typically greatest and the bucks appear to react to it.
> “So far, we’ve concluded at the highest-risk days when more people are hunting, a sort of tipping point is reached when deer begin to alter what they’re using on the landscape. During the lowest-risk days deer…selecting upland wooded areas or bottomland areas, or even herbaceous areas.
> “[When hunters are active deer are] still using the bottomland areas, the upland areas and the herbaceous areas, but they use them less…. They are focusing in on the thick brush hiding areas.”
The study recommends cutting hunting pressure by a third on “high-pressure” days like weekends…but that’s not real easy to do, especially if you hunt public land.
They’re also doing some research on nocturnal movement — we’ll update ya once those findings come out.
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Rut facts you may not know.
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Most of us THINK we know what causes the rut, but some things Realtree posted might surprise you AND help you the next couple of weeks. Here’s a few:
> Photoperiod, or daylight length, is the trigger for the rut. Deer are short-day breeders. Meaning it’s happening right about now, y’all.
> The rut is shorter and more pronounced when buck-to-doe ratios are closer to 1:1. When it isn’t, the rut is more prolonged and gets dragged out.
> A doe will remain in estrus for 24 to 48 hours. During this period, bucks will jockey for the right to deliver. Does that aren’t bred during their first estrus cycle will come into heat a second time, 28 days later.
> It’s possible for twin and triplet fawns to be sired by different bucks. So in some instances, “twin” and “triplet” fawns aren’t actually twins and triplets.
Had no idea about that last one…must make Thanksgiving dinner really awkward….
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LA grandma shot a big 9-pointer on her birthday.
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What a way to celebrate your 72nd! Lucy Bland has been hunting for 23 years, and she’s killed some nice deer over those years. Since that time, her beloved husband has passed on, along with their Jack Russell terrier. Lots of folks would probably take that as a sign to slow down. But not Miss Lucy — she went hunting:
> “I lost my little Jack Russell earlier this year because he just got too old and in bad shape, and I was really upset and didn’t want to do anything. My son Donald told me to pack my bags and get out of the house, and go to the deer camp. So that’s just what I did.”
> Bland drove straight to the camp and made it just in time for the afternoon hunt. “About 3:30 or 4 I saw a big animal heading my way. I thought it was a big old cow, so I wiped my eyes and looked again, this time through the scope. Nope, he ain’t no cow.”
> Ka-boom! Her Remington 742 rifle roared, and the buck crumpled in a heap. “He kicked 3 or 4 times and that was it. I got out of the stand and went straight to him, and all I could see was horns.”
Miss Lucy walked back to her ATV, LOADED THE BUCK HERSELF onto the quad and drove back to camp. Can you imagine the looks on the faces of the other guys in camp??
> “I can’t believe Daniel’s grandmother came up here and killed the buck we’ve all been after,” said one of the hunters.
Turns out it was a 207-lb (!!) 9-point. Like every other deer she’d taken, she was going to cut off the antlers and butcher the deer, but the guys talked her into getting the trophy mounted.
Even Chuck Norris was impressed:
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News
1. SC deer brother dies in treestand fall.
Hate to hear it, bless you deer brother. Info from the article:
> Coroner Rusty Clevenger said…Parton was hunting in a treestand and apparently fell from the stand, which was about 32′ high. Clevenger said…head injuries consistent with his fall from the treestand.
Pls be real careful out there people.
2. Outdoor TV legend Jerry McKinnis passes on.
Known for fishing and bass fishing, but he was a pioneer in all outdoors TV:
> “Jerry came along and got [outdoors TV] on ESPN. At one point, there was an outdoors block of programming every day on ESPN. There were no other outdoor channels. Now there are about 6 or 7. He invented the whole industry. His importance in the outdoors entertainment world can’t be overestimated.”
Thank you and bless you outdoors brother:
3. OK: 30-point trophy falls.
Joe Pratt dropped this 30-point (!!) non-typ with his muzzleloader over the weekend. “The Ghost” had a green score of 236 1/8. OK state record is 248 6/8:
4. PA House passes 3 Sundays hunting bill.
As in, only on 3 Sundays, not every Sunday. Sounds like the state senate is expected to do the same and the gov’nor is expected to sign the deal:
> …would permit hunting on 2 Sundays: 1 during deer gun season, 1 during deer archery season, and 1 determined by the PA Game Commission.
5. MI House okays deer baiting…sorta.
> …the legislation might not see support from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who would need to sign the bill for it to become law. She said it wouldn’t change the situation for hunters this year….
6. AR: Flash your license, get a free sausage biscuit at Hardee’s.
How cool is that! Only happens TOMORROW, Nov 7. See you in line lol:
> “Nicholas Shurgot, who owns quite a few Hardee’s restaurants, approached the AGFC last year about it, and got other store owners to step up in the effort to celebrate deer season.”
You might recall Hardee’s tested a venison sandwich a couple years back.
7. NE: Check out this trailcam flood shot!
Amazing trailcam shot posted by the Grand Forks Herald. Trailcam is posted on a known deer trail so guess they’re still using it:
8. LA: Floods close deer hunting at big WMA.
> The Maurepas Swamp WMA includes 112,615 acres….
> LDWF says water levels in the area are influenced by rain, winds and tides. Heavy rain and east winds can cause flooding in the area.
9. MN: Female, foreign-born, first-gen hunter now a hunting mentor.
Kim Nguyen got her start from a Groupon 3D archery shoot:
> “I give back because others were so giving to me. I am passionate about deer hunting. If I can help other women discover their passion that’s a good thing.”
Love it!
10. NY hunter shoots 8-pt with her late father’s bow…
…after 8 years of trying. Huge congrats to her, too cool.
11. TN: Hunters declining so first-timers are focus.
12. MO hunter gets fined and more in NE.
According to the Fremont Tribune:
> …the first formal sentencing in an ongoing prosecution of several defendants in relation to violations committed by owners, guides and clients of Hidden Hills Outfitters, a big game guiding and outfitting business near Broken Bow.
13. MO kids harvested 18K+ deer…
…during youth weekend, up from 13K last year. Outstanding.
14. MN: 5,700 kids took a deer in 1st statewide youth hunt.
> …a 77% increase from the 2018 youth deer season when the hunt was limited to fewer areas.
Love it!
15. WI: Big white/albino buck spotted.
No idea how it survived to get that big. From a phone video:
16. MI wants hunters to donate venison for folks in need.
> In 2018, hunters donated deer that resulted in more than 50,000 lbs of ground venison, which is estimated to have provided about 200,000 meals.
Great to hear. Wonder how many meals animal-rights activists have donated…not.
17. DC: New program has $50 mil for landowners…
…to grant for public hunting and fishing access:
> Jerry Roach, program admin: “Nationally, there is $50 million available. The maximum funding that can be awarded per project is $3 million, and the minimum is $100,000.”
18. Gert Boyle, face of Columbia Sportswear, passes on.
She was the face for a while, and owned/ran the place. Amazing story — she escaped Hitler’s Germany and basically grew a small hat biz into a multi-billion-dollar company. Bless you outdoors sister:
19. Sounds like deer outfitting is growing in Scotland.
Red deer?
> Every year in the Scottish Highlands, thousands of deer are culled by landowners…to limit population growth. But hunting stags is increasingly becoming a business opportunity. Tourists are now paying to kill the animals….
20. Win a $2,800 350 Legend Hunting prize pack.
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New Stuff
1. Elite Archery adds “never before seen” tech to new bows?
Sounds interesting:
> “In these new technologies, we’ve delivered simple and effective solutions to problems that have plagued archers since the compound bow was first developed. The ability to tune your bow to you. Your rest. Your grip. Your form. Your arrows. Your broadheads. These are things that simply weren’t possible previously without special tools and equipment.
> The ASYM Tri-Track Cam is a laterally balanced cam, which reduces lateral nock travel.
> The combination of the ASYM Tri-Track Cam with Elite’s exclusive new Versa Mod Rotating Module allows for an industry-leading 7 full inches of draw length adjustment without the need for a bow press. Archers will find that they can now adjust their draw length in 1/4″ increments….
> Archers can also choose to use both cable and limb stops to achieve their perfect feel. The combination of cable and limb stops result in more than 20 adjustment positions to suit any archer.
> …Simplified Exact Tuning…SET Technology…allows the archer to micro-adjust the angle of the limb pocket pivot and delivers micro-adjustments to the attitude (or lean) of the cam…without the need for a bow press.
2. New line of optics from Viridian.
Selling direct to us (cuttin’ out the markup) and designed and built in the good ol’ USA. We might have to check ’em out:
3. Norma Bondstrike Extreme ammo in .30 cal is out now.
> “…provides controlled expansion and tremendous weight retention at all distances, and its efficient low-drag design keeps the round on target.”
Wraith Bolt-Action Mount.
Clenzoil Field & Range Bore Stix…supposedly reduce the need for cotton bore patches.
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Gear of the Week
Kimber Traditional Classic Select Grade Rifle.
Kimber’s probably best known for their 1911 pistols, and for good reason: They’re well-built and have a lot of modern features in a traditional, proven design. They’re not as well known for rifles, but the company’s design philosophy definitely carries over to their long guns. Petersen’s Hunting took a look at the Traditional Classic Select Rifle, sounds cool:
> The 84 action (and its magnum counterpart, the 8400) feature Mauser-style full-length claw extractors. The massive claw rests on the front of the bolt body and bites down on the cartridge case, ensuring reliable cycling under the worst conditions.
> Both the barrel and the action are machined from premium steel for maximum accuracy and durability…. The barreled action is then matched to a pillar, glass-bedded A-grade French walnut stock with an ebony forend tip and 20 LPI panel checkering.
> ….rifle tested was chambered in .308 Win, and with its scaled-down model 84M action and 22″ barrel the rifle weighed just 5 lbs 10 oz, making it light enough for all-day carry, even in steep terrain.
> …in .308 produced groups ranging from 0.88″ to 0.97″, which lives up to the company’s accuracy promise and provides peace of mind in the field.
> Operating the rifle is simple thanks to a host of user-friendly features like the 3-position safety (with a red indicator dot that’s visible when you’re behind the rifle), a cocking indicator, and the bolt-release button.
> You’d be hard-pressed to find a more attractive rifle, and the price is equally attractive considering the workmanship that goes into building this gun.
MSRP is a bit over $1,400 — not cheap, but sounds like a lotta rifle for the $$$.
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Tip of the Week
A bazillion ways to make you a better rut hunter.
Michael Hanback is a deer wizard, and here’s a few of the knowledge bombs he just dropped on OutdoorLife.com:
> A scrape without a broken licking branch hanging above it is not worth hunting. Move on.
> Wear rubber gloves and clip a mangled licking branch (which holds the forehead and saliva scent of several bucks and does) from atop an active scrape and wire it over a mock scrape near your stand.
> A doe that flits around with her tail erect is ready to breed or almost ready. A buck or bucks will be close.
> Rattling bags and boxes work, but nothing beats the real thing. A solid set of 140″ antlers are the bomb, with just the right tone and volume.
> Best tip for public land: Hang a tree stand in thick, secluded cover and sit in it all day. You might catch a buck rutting a doe on natural movement, or another hunter might inadvertently drive a 10-pointer to you. Either way, you win.
> If 10 hours on stand are too much, sleep in, sneak to your spot at 9 am, and hunt out the rest of the day. A NC State study found that during a full moon, deer don’t move much in the morning, but the midday hours and early afternoon are good.
Whole post is def worth a read — TONS of good insight in there.
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Quote of the Week
“I sat there in the dark, remembering my mom, talking to her and spending time reflecting on how thankful I was to be sitting here experiencing the outdoors.”
– Kara Blessing, LA hunter, who credits her passed-on mother for encouraging her to take up deer hunting. Awesome for a few reasons, thanks for sharing it LA Sportsman….
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Shot of the Week
Check out these 10-year-old MN twins showin’ off their trophies. Bet the the biggest trophies for their parents are those smiles — props to ’em all! (source: Grandforksherald.com)
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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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