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NJ mom arrowed an Iowa STUD.
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Christina Krajcsovics is a mom who’s a diehard deer hunter. She and family live in NJ (sorry to hear it..lol one of our guys lives there too) but chase whatever’s in season wherever that may be. So imagine how stoked she was when she hit the jackpot — pulling an archery tag in IA last fall.
Realtree says she and her husband hunted a friend’s property there in late Oct:
> …the Krajcsovics moved to a stand near a heavily-used trail just below a ridgetop cornfield. …a nice 10-pointer came in but downwind. The buck caught their scent and blew out, making quite a commotion. “I was really bummed when the buck started blowing,” Christina said. “I was certain it spooked every deer in the area.”
> As the evening drew to a close, a flock of turkeys came through and flew up to roost nearby. RJ…next to Christina with a camera in hand — had little faith in their chances for the evening. He switched off the camera and lowered it to his lap. That’s when he noticed the deer.
Lol that’s how it happens — just put the camera down!
> Christina concentrated on the buck as it slowly stepped into bow range. It stopped 14 yards from her tree and turned broadside. She…released and watched as the arrow hit its mark.
> Christina’s buck featured 14 scorable points on a 10-point main frame, and green-scored 170″.
Sweet buck, and props to all the deer-nerd moms out there!
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13-yr-old girl shoots 13-yr-old doe!
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Katie (with brother Bo ^) is the daughter of Kip Adams, the conservation director for the Quality Deer Management Assn. Kip knows a bunch about aging deer, and has kept age records of all the deer taken on his hunt club for many years. So take that 13.5-yr-old doe age to the bank. Kip telling it:
> I aged them all [299 deer] with the tooth replacement and wear technique, and we’ve sent incisor teeth from every buck over 2.5 yrs old for cementum annuli (CA) age analysis. [cementum is a “calcified substance deposited on the roots of teeth.”] About a decade ago, I also started sending incisors from old does for CA testing too.
> Several seasons later, I shot a doe in archery season that looked like most other does on our farm — until I pulled her jawbone. The tooth wear was severe, and she CA aged at 13.5 yrs old. …a camp mate shot a doe in rifle season that year that CA aged 15.5 yrs old!
> This past season, my daughter Katie won the oldest-doe contest [with that 13.5-yr-old deer]. To shoot a deer in its teens puts you in a pretty rare club. Our camp was fortunate to have 2 members in that club, and I’m extremely proud my daughter makes our 3rd.
Way to go,Katie! Gotta believe hardly any teen hunters have shot a deer as old as they are.
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Hunter got ‘Big Boy’ soon after lung surgery. #strong
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Give it up for OH’s Jeff Mason — had lung surgery Aug 1 but didn’t let that keep him from hunting whitetails. And not just any deer: Jeff was after Big Boy, a massive deer with bases the size of your arm and points goin’ every which way. Jeff told Buckmasters the surgery made him change his hunting methods but for sure was not gonna keep him out of the woods:
> “I could not climb a tree or even a ladder stand. If I wanted to hunt at all, I’d be ground-bound.”
> His son Matt and his best friend, Mike Wise, helped increase Jeff’s odds by planting a food plot and setting out a trail camera that would send photos to his phone.
> “One evening when I was heading the 300 yards back to my truck, the cell phone chirped to tell me something was in front of the camera. Six times, it showed me a picture of Big Boy in the food plot. He had been watching and waiting for me to leave before he came out to eat.”
> Jeff’s response was to move at least 50 yards farther into the woods and go earlier than usual. He sat against a tree within view of the trail to the food plot.
> At one point, a squirrel tore Jeff’s gaze from the trail he’d been watching. When he looked back, the giant buck was on it, 50 yards away from him, making no sound whatsoever.
Jeff squeezed the x-bow’s trigger and dropped Big Boy…which measured 216″!!! Props to Jeff, Matt and Mike for a great hunt!
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Check out this eastern PA “Whitetail Crib.”
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Glen Nielson describes himself as an “everyday working-class Joe.” But ain’t nuthin’ everyday or average about his trophy room…which is his entire basement. Whitetail Cribs on YouTube got a tour, here’s a few highlights of what he said but for sure worth a full watch:
> “…never had that high-paying job…but I’ve saved my money to go on hunts…. I’ve never had a hot car or a big stereo or anything.
> “Growing up I was always hunting something. I’d get off the school bus and I’d tell my mom I was going out to get dinner and I’d come home with dinner.
> “I don’t have any P&Y or B&C deer. I was a product of where I hunted and I was proud of the ones I got…over the years I’ve gotten a few nice ones, but I’m still going for that big one.
> “This is probably my favorite archery deer kill…I did it back in my 20s. I shot him, he took off, ran 60 yards, I saw him fall over. …jumped out of the tree, ran over to him, counted his points. Then I ran a quarter-mile through the woods, down the road, and ran right up the other side to my dad who was in his treestand. I said, ‘Dad, I just shot a 10-pointer with a bow’ and he goes, ‘Ah, thanks a lot, you just ruined my hunt.'”
Lol dads! Here’s Glen with that deer:
Glen seems like a down-to-earth good dude who’s all ate up by deer hunting — our kinda guy! Thanks to him and Whitetail Cribs for the tour. One more non-deer story:
> “I went to northern Quebec back in the heyday of caribou hunting…1989…best trip of my life. I was pretty young, but I saved up. It was like National Geographic watching them migrate. Everybody thought I was nuts to spend that much, and now today you can’t even hunt ’em.”
That sound cool or what!
Whitetail cribs = great idea!
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Stay away from bad seeds!
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Not that kinda bad seed lol. Was gonna get all Biblical on ya about “seeds” (like Genesis 3:15) but this is about Jeff Sturgis and his Whitetail Habitat Solutions. Every year seems like the guy takes a giant, and he works hard for them — including in the offseason.
Jeff knows how to grow big deer with food plots, and says there’s 5 crops we oughta be real careful about planting. In a video he says a lot of the planting “knowledge” out there is actually marketing buzzwords — imagine that lol:
> “Inert matter” — “By law, seed manufacturers have to list the percentages of what’s in the bag, including inert matter. You’re paying for a 50-lb bag of seed and you’re left with a whole bunch…in there that’s not actually seed.”
> Peas — “…really look at the amounts in the bag. A standalone pea planting is right around 300 lbs per acre. So if your bag only has 5 lbs of peas per acre, you’re gonna find one pea plant…every 35′ or so.”
> Sugar beets — “…can be the perfect food plot forage…if the deer let ’em grow and that’s the big problem. You need a longer season…and you need to plant those a month or 2 before your typical brassica blend goes into the ground.”
> Ryegrass — “Ryegrass is a cheap filler. It’s not hearty for deer. It’s not attractive for deer. Deer don’t like it. It’s a perennial, so it’ll be around forever, but what it does do is it shows some green in the field. Just because it’s green doesn’t mean it’s good. Ryegrass is a lot different than rye grain.”
> Dwarf essex rape — “They don’t call it dwarf for nothin’. Dwarf essex rape is low volume but very aggressive. …other options…are…high-volume forage that’ll give you a much better base and a much better mix.”
If you do food plots or are thinkin’ about it, check that post out.
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News
1. MD county wants spring deer season…
…to supplement Covid-related food issues for families:
> If it’s approved…could cut down on a deer population that is 3 to 5 times what is healthy for the ecosystem and provide another food source for families suddenly in danger of going hungry because of the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
2. IL: DNR gets $2 mil to expand public hunting.
For leasing property from private landowners — says IL already leases 22,000 acres.
3. ND: 3,500 more deer firearms tags this fall.
Will be the 5th consecutive year of increased deer gun licenses, up to 69,050.
4. OK: Lots more antlerless tags this season.
> The commission voted to double the anterless bag limit during the muzzleloader and deer gun seasons in all parts of the state except the Panhandle and southeast OK.
5. Some never-before hunters putting in for tags.
Because of Covid. This is good!
6. Buckmasters and SCI have a joint venture.
Not real sure what it means since always thought Safari Club (SCI and Buckmasters folks are different but:
> “…provides SCI a seat on the Buckmasters board of directors along with recognition as a premier sponsor.
> “This alliance aligns the leading whitetail organization in Buckmasters with the leading [hunting] advocacy and conservation organization in SCI. This collaboration will introduce new opportunities for members of both groups to continue their support and preservation of hunting and conservation.”
7. B&C did a reorg.
Tony Schoonen is the new CEO:
> “…2008 and has served as chief of staff for B&C ever since. Under the new structure of the club, the directors of the 4 divisions will report directly to him….
> “The [new] strategic plan and structure…will allow our highly skilled staff to be more responsive to conservation policy issues and the needs of our members.”
8. Academy has military and first responder discounts.
Can’t link it, it’s here: theoutdoorwire.com
9. WI: Judge charged in spotlighting case.
From the article:
> At approximately 7:30 pm, the warden saw a 6-point buck walk out of the woods and into the area near Piontek’s cabin. Moments later, the warden heard a rifle shot coming from inside. The deer was struck, buckled and reportedly ran off into a field.
> In addition to being charged as a party to illegal shining of a deer…was also cited for unauthorized use of illegal bait and being a party to the violation of shooting a deer after shooting hours.
10. Canada banned assault “style” weapons for hunting.
> Yellowknife’s Aaron Primeau goes back to his hometown in northern ON every year to hunt deer and wild boar with family. His rifle of choice is the M305 — a type of M14 semi-automatic that was one of 1,500 makes and models of military-style firearms banned by the Canadian government Friday.
> Primeau said his family used hunting as a way to put food on the table. “We weren’t a very wealthy family and that’s how I really got into hunting cause a $2 bullet put a thousand dollars of meat on the table.”
> The M305 is not a military-style firearm in Primeau’s opinion, because he said it is not fully automatic. Still, it’s been prohibited.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is the son of a prior Canadian prime minister, so he’s in politics as a family business, similar to what has been happening in the US. Only mentioning APOLITICALLY because that’s not what public service is supposed to look like….
11. DC: Does the NRA need a leader in waiting?
Interesting post….
12. Outdoor Product Innovations bought another company.
First Big Dog Hunting, now Wicked Tree Gear.
13. WI might have more ticks this year.
Mild winter and more deer. Can’t link it but it’s at: waow.com
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Deer Disease News
> Potential actions include a statewide ban on feeding deer, including the use of minerals or supplements; a statewide ban on the use or field possession of deer attractants, including natural urine and synthetics; increased hunting opportunities within CWD areas; and the removal of deer antler-point restrictions within some portions of Disease Management Areas.
> The CWD testing year that ended in Feb produced just shy of 13,000 CWD samples statewide…. During this period, TX recorded 26 new confirmed CWD positives, with 6 additional “suspect positives” awaiting confirmation.
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New Stuff
1. Evil-lookin’ arrow tips from Thorn Broadheads.
Thorn Crowns, wonder how well they fly…. Blades start at the top at 5/8″, followed by a 3/4″, followed by a 7/8″ and having a 1″ blade at the bottom. Even tho there’s a 1″ cut diameter, Thorn says the 8 helix stacked cutting blades give 3.25″ of cutting surface:
2. Covert’s new Blackhawk 20 LTE game cam.
> …provides advanced M2M (machine-to-machine) communication using our Covert Wireless web portal to deliver superior wireless delivery options and advanced capabilities such as real-time control, weather and wind information, and instant picture viewing.
3. Dryshod Trailmaster camo boots.
> A 5 mm Densoprene foam-insulated bootie calf pipe features Hydrokote water-repellent treatment allowing water to shed instead of saturating the upper. An EVA midsole paired with a removable EVA sock liner…blocks out cold, and a nylon shank adds stability.
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Gear of the Week
Lol sweet guns for sure, but not really for chasing whitetails…sooooo Chris Barrett came up with the Fieldcraft — which he designed when a boltie from another manufacturer jammed on him on a hunt. NA Rifleman with the deets:
> After having an expensive custom rifle fail him on an antelope hunt due to dust that bound-up the action, he created a rifle that had precise tolerances where it needed them as well as room for dust and dirt to migrate so that it could continue to function….
> Long, heavy bullets with high BCs are essential in the long-range game, and Fieldcraft rifles have the correct rifling twists to stabilize these bullets. Each Fieldcraft’s barreled action is individually pillar-bedded to its own carbon-fiber stock for a perfect fit….
> ….fit with adjustable Timney triggers for a light and clean break, one of the most important elements in practical field accuracy.
> With the 18″ Fieldcraft, the overall length of a rifle with a suppressor attached is essentially the same as that of a traditional hunting rifle. Best of all, Barrett did not simply apply threads to the barrel on its Fieldcraft — it machined a sturdy shoulder onto which the suppressor can index securely and repeatedly.
> Whether you are in the market for a lightweight rifle for a high country sheep hunt or a compact setup for climbing in and out of treestands, the Fieldcraft is a strong option. Don’t let its short barrel fool you in terms of its performance — these rifles are accurate, reliable and capable of making hits beyond any reasonable hunting distance.
BUT the Fieldcraft will set ya back 2 grand…if you can get one. Barrett site says that because of demand for their military rifles, they’ve suspended production of the Fieldcraft [crying emoji].
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Tip of the Week
Scout now to find deer in season.
For starters, scouting is always fun, even in the spring. Plus it’s a good time to swap out batteries in trailcams, maybe hunt for gobblers or morels, and see what’s happening on the land before things become overgrown. Bowhunting’s Greg Miller says it’s also a great time to figure out your fall whitetail plan:
> Buck sign (rubs and scrapes) from the previous fall have been in a state of relative “suspended animation” through the winter months, which means they will appear nearly as fresh as the day they were made. …these highly visible pieces of buck sign are priceless evidence regarding how the deer we’re hunting prefer to travel about their home ranges.
> Bumping mature bucks from their bedding areas during the spring period doesn’t have any long-term negative effects. At least I’ve never seen where it has during the 30-plus years I’ve been employing the strategy.
> Effective spring scouting entails doing a lot of legwork. Rubs, scrapes and heavily-used trails all need to be sought out and investigated. Remember, for most of the fall hunting season, rub and scrape lines almost always are established along routes bucks use when traveling between bedding areas and feeding areas.
> …some of you might be thinking that your trailcams can provide all the information you need to hunt a particular piece of ground. I’ve always refused to trust exclusively what my trailcams show me. For one thing, trail cameras are able to cover only a very tiny piece of ground. And if you’re thinking this situation is easily rectified by putting out more cameras, remember one very important fact: The more cameras you put out in your hunting area(s), the more disturbance you’ll cause when checking those cameras.
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Quote of the Week
“Controlling their numbers is like mowing your lawn. You can never quit once you start.”
– Patrick Durkin at themeateater.com talkin’ about sterilizing deer…which NY has proven is a waste of $$ and doesn’t work. Full quote:
> They’ve already done more vasectomies [1,719] than the herd’s original population. That’s the problem with ‘open’ deer herds. You’ll never stop deer from immigrating or moving around. Controlling their numbers is like mowing your lawn. You can never quit once you start. You’ll always need annual maintenance budgets.”
Doh! Makes me think of:
Solution = hunt ’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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