DeerBlaster blasts

World record 22-point DOE?? New state-record typ! Hunting the second rut

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Heads up that we’re taking a 2-week break for the holidays, so expect the next DeerBlaster on Wed, Jan 6. Hoping and praying 2021 is a much better year for everyone. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays if you don’t celebrate Christmas, and hope you’re still out there getting after ’em!

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The DeerBlaster culls the best of the whitetail interwebz every week for DIEHARD whitetail nerds…cuz it’s fun! And informative too. Then it “blasts” into your inbox.

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Here’s the public land 22-point new world record…DOE??

👊 or 🤢? 🤔 The Outdoor Wire had the deets:

> [The antlers] were scored by a pair of BTR (Buckmasters Whitetail Trophy Records) scorers at 191″. A good deer, but the reason this one is a record is because the deer harvested by Michael LaLonde Jr isn’t a buck – it’s a doe. A 22-point antlered doe. The initial scoring has it as a BTR world record.

> Since the harvest [in OH] he says, “I’ve learned a lot about antlered does.” …3 types…hermaphrodites (both male and female internal organs or combinations thereof), pseudo-hermaphrodites (otherwise known as cryptorchid males), and the true antlered doe [where] the horns are usually only spikes or buttons.

> This female, estimated to be over 6 years old, is sporting quite a rack. The bases…measured at least 9″ per side. As you see in the photo, they’re nearly touching.

This line from Michael was kinda funny:

> “I first saw her last Nov and I’d already taken a buck. I only had a doe tag left.” Since OH only allows 1 buck, he let her go.

Crazy! Good job tracking he/she/him/her down lol….

Huge LA typ could be a new state record.

Couple arrow drops almost boogered things up for Wesley Miller, but LA Sportsman says he got it done:

> “I had everything in my favor as the buck made his way through the woods…I spied a small hole in the foliage and was prepared to release my arrow when the buck stepped into the hole.

> However, when I tried to pull my bow back my arrow fell off the bow string. By then, the buck had passed through that opening so I spied the next opening – I was ready.

> “However, when I pulled back on my bow, the arrow fell off the string again and made some noise that alerted the buck. [But] with the high winds and my being scent-free, I watched the buck just standing there looking around.

> “By then he had moved to my right and it is difficult to turn your body to the right when shooting a bow, especially when wearing a safety harness. I had to get down on one knee, pull back the bow again and by then the buck was standing with a 6-inch hole exposing the area behind his shoulder when I released my arrow.

> “I was getting really nervous thinking maybe I had made a bad shot when the buck began wobbling and just tipped over.”

Guess it was meant to be! His buck is a 12-point with a kicker that green-scored 178″ – the state record archery typ is 175. Real nice deer Wesley!

TX hunter takes 197-incher off just 42 acres.

Tyler Wells was able to take this incredible buck by letting him walk on a small acreage – 3 times! How ’bout that for patience, and faith. Athens (TX) Daily with the story:

> “An older gentleman told me a long time ago that you will never put a tag on a 190 if your tag is already on a 160. I’ve never forgotten that.”

> Tyler said he had the buck inside 20 yards on 3 occasions during the 2019 season. He never drew his compound bow…. Tyler claims the buck was easily in the 170s last season as a 5.5-yr-old.

> “We thought he had the potential to get to 200, so we decided to give it another year to see if we could get him there. He didn’t quite make it, but he got really close. That just goes to show you those bucks in that part of the country can definitely grow a lot of bone on top their heads if you let them get old.”

Word! Love the let ’em go, let ’em grow stories….

OK bowhunter stuck a stud by boat!

We can’t stop lookin’ at this drop-dead gorgeous buck, taken by Chris O’Kelley on OK public land. Chris’ bud, deer brother Michael Bury, sent in the deets:

> Shot this buck on public land off the Verdigris River. He’s been watching this buck from the beginning of the season. He had this buck on camera. Never got a shot until he moved on down the river a bit and things worked out. [The deer] came in chasing a doe.

Wonder if there’s more great bucks on public land than most of us know about….

Rut-crazy buck DESTROYS a decoy!

2. OH could be looking at record deer harvest.

Apparently 200K is possible.

3. IL firearms harvest up, still time left for more.

> A stronger second season lifted harvest during IL’s 2 firearm seasons (76,579) above the harvest totals in 2019 (75,417).

4. WV buck firearms harvest up 6%.

The state is also giving away 2 lifetime licenses:

> To enter the lifetime license giveaway, a hunter or angler needs to purchase a Class X, Class XJ or one of the new licenses by Dec 31, 2020. Those who purchase a Class X, Class XJ or Class XP license will automatically be entered….

5. MO already posted 2021-22 deer seasons.

6. OK looking for comments on new fish/game rules (pdf).

7. TN: Some hunters now want a 1-buck limit?

Was 3, now it’s 2.

8. NC: Sunday hunting might be allowed next season on…

…some state and national forest land. The state is looking for comments….

9. MeatEater donating 64-acre deer plot to Natl Deer Assn.

On which they’ve spent the last 2 years making habitat improvements.

10. Natl Deer Assn mentors gun company 1st-time hunters.

Great idea. Folks who work in the firearms biz but haven’t hunted yet.

11. Taxidermists say mount biz is way up.

12. B&C launches anti-poaching program.

> Will work with state wildlife agencies, legislators and the judicial system to improve the detection and conviction of poachers and to ensure that the fines being assessed for this illegal killing are in line with the value our society places on wildlife.

13. PA: Deer-hunting camp for African-Americans.

Very cool and sounds like it’s needed:

> “I had a guy drive here all the way from Columbus, OH to hunt here because he was a black hunter who was new to hunting and he wanted that level of comfort. One of my passions is to get more blacks into hunting.”

14. NRA reschedules annual meeting for Sept.

Was scheduled for May in Houston.

15. TX: Dallas says no to Feb Safari Club Convention.

Will be virtual instead.

16. Luke Bryan’s wife pranks son in deer stand (video).

Pretty funny:

> “You’re acting like you’re not a country girl,” Bo complains to his mom before shushing her and groaning about the loudness.

17. Lyme ticks have antibiotic protecting them from human bacteria.

18. Did you know Buck has a custom knife shop?

10 models. We made this 722 SpitFire:

Deer Disease News

1. OH confirms first CWD case.

Found in the north-central portion of the state…enacting CWD response plan, which includes enhanced testing.

2. MT opening up new seasons to thin herd in CWD areas.

This sounds…way too high?

> The prevalence of CWD in whitetails this year exceeded 40% in some areas around the Ruby Valley.

3. WI: CWD deer found in Washington County.

In northeastern Washington County near Ozaukee County:

> As required by state law, the DNR will enact a new 2-year ban on baiting and feeding in Ozaukee County and renew a 3-year baiting and feeding ban in Washington County effectively on Jan 5, 2021.

4. PA updates CWD efforts in task force report.

Looks like nothing really new:

> The report offers advice hunters and others can follow to minimize risks and links to key disease-prevention resources.

5. LA: 2 men charged under CWD “carcass importing” laws.

> The lowest-priced American-made x-bow at just $399.99, the Blackhawk 360 shoots 360 fps…and is primed to outperform…import models in the entry-level x-bow category.

> Consists of a lightweight riser and machined aluminum limb pockets fitted with 11″ WRX laminated limbs. Powered by heavy-duty machined 5S Cams and DynaFLIGHT 97 string and cables, the Blackhawk measures a narrow 15″ wide.

You really can’t get into the x-bow game for much less that that, and the Blackhawk has features that even some higher-priced competitors don’t have.

The second rut: Why to hunt it.

Interesting post from Bowhunting.com about does that are unbred after the primary rut. What that means if you’ve got a late-season tag:

> …3 main groups to consider when looking at breeding does: Fawns, 1.5-2.5 yr old does, and 2.5 and older. Which age range does the majority of the breeding? As you might expect, it’s typically the older age class….

> Fawns: 0-60% breed in the first year. Breeding in the first rut cycle is pretty much non-existent.

> 1.5-2.5 yrs old: 70-100% breed each year. Cycle later than the 2.5 and older class. Less does being bred than the 2.5 and older, but the majority of these does are still bred in the first cycle.

> 2.5 and up: 90% are bred in a given year. Most mature does are bred in first estrous cycle.

> When we start to break down the number of does that go unbred from the first cycle, it’s important to consider the variables. Not all regions are the same. Buck to doe ratio comes into play. It all depends on where you are in the country.

> If you have a low-quality deer herd, and less bucks to cover the does, you may see an increase in activity during the second rut. However, you may not see your target buck as less bucks will now be roaming the woods at this point of the season.

> The bottom line is, young or old, there will be does running around the woods mid-Dec and Jan that haven’t been bred yet. No, it’s not as intense of a rut as the first cycle. But you can bet that when a hot doe comes by, she’ll have every buck in town on her heels.

> Ladner was concerned about someone stealing the deer while he went to get help to drag it out. He was worried because the rack might tempt someone if they stumbled across it.

> The buck was a main-frame 10-point with a split G3 on the left side. It had a 20″ inside spread with 24″ main beams and gross-scored 170. It had 5.5″ bases and carried between 5″ and 4.5″ of mass almost all the way out. 🤯

> “The mass is unbelievable on that deer. You’ve got to put your hands on these horns just to see how big they are. Pictures don’t do it justice….”

What’s the DB and who does it?

The DeerBlaster is a weekly roundup of the best 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…. We do it because we can’t get enough deer hunting – bet you’re wired the same!

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