Hunting and Fishing News Blog Articles

A highlight of November Bowhunts for whitetail Bucks involves hunting during the Does breeding season and it’s a busy and changing time of year for bucks. The Whitetail Rut starts after the bucks new antlers mineralize and harden and the velvet falls away. That practice coincides with decreasing day length (photoperiod) and it generates increases in the bucks testosterone levels.

Bucks begin rubbing their antlers against saplings and brush, which deposits scent from their preorbital glands (along the eyes), and spreads scent from their forehead, and nose, as well as saliva from their mouth. These scent deposits tell other deer “Here I am.”

Bucks also begin sparing with other area bucks to establish hierarchies. As their  testosterone levels rise in the days preceding peak rutting action, their confrontations can turn into fierce battles.

As breeding activity approaches, bucks start making scrapes by pawing leaf litter and other debris to expose the soil. This process includes urinating in the soil. They also squeeze their hind legs together causing urine to run down their tarsal glands, leaving their unique scent at the site. A scrape regularly includes an overhead licking branch that bucks lick and chew, depositing scent much as they do while creating rubs. Does also visit scrapes and deposit their own scent, announcing their presence to would-be suitors.

The actual timing of the whitetail rut varies. Whitetails live from southern Canada to northern portions of South America. The rut’s timing is predictable and consistent from Canada to northern and midwestern portions of the United States, with most breeding occurring during a three-week timeframe from late October to mid-November. That breeding window ensures fawns are born in spring – after the snow melts – when does can find ample food for gestation’s later stages. That schedule also maximizes the fawns’ time to feed and grow before the fierceness of  their first winter.

Bridge and Brooke the Trailer cooks cook up their favorite, Venison blackstrap It’s easy to do, speddy ti cook and delicious.and veggies.

 

Calling Bucks takes more lots more than just blowing on a grunt call or hitting antlers together. Calling Whitetail Bucks involves reading a deer’s body language and knowing when/when not to call.

Jeff Danker tells us all about it.

Buy your Woodhaven Deer Call, click this link: https://woodhavencustomcalls.com/prod…

 

Jay and Amy Liechty took their five children on a deer hunt in West Virginia and had the time of their lives.  Each youngster bagged a deer and they returned to their Utah home with coolers full of venison and memories to last a lifetime.  Many states offer special hunting licenses and prices for youngsters and if you are leaving your children, or grandchildren, at home, you are missing out on life’s great adventures.

Alivia, nine years old, used a Ravin crossbow to take this big doe, the first harvest of the trip. She was hunting from a ground blind near an apple tree that had late-season apples and was visited regularly by deer each evening.  Alivia showed great patience in the blind and waited until a big doe stood broadside and pushed the Grim Reaper, Micro-hybrid through both lungs, dropping the doe in sight, as advertised.  Dad coached her through the process and they were both ecstatic about the success.  Her brother Bentley, shown above, took notes and couldn’t wait for his turn.

Make it a Camping Trip-

The family rented a rustic cabin along the Shaver’s Fork of the Cheat River just outside of Elkins West Virginia.  Located in a campground the cabin made for an economical way for everyone to spend time together.  Rural cabins can be found on Air BnB and other rental sites and were able to use their rustic accommodations for breakfast and lunch each day, an important element for a family of seven.  Two days were wet and having a cabin to dry clothes and just have fun was a plus.

 

Outdoor Adventure

Alivia was the first to sight in the Ravin after the long flight from Utah.  Each of the children took turns practicing on a 3-D target.  In all, they used a TenPoint crossbow, a Ravin, and an Excalibur.  Hunting with Bruce Ryan, they took turns hunting from four blinds and three ladder stands, ideal for youngsters to climb into and down from.  In mid-day, they fished in a local stream and practiced with the crossbows in their non-hunting hours.  Christain put his practice to use and downed the second deer of the trip, ambushing a doe between a bedding and feeding area.

Check Out the Dale Outdoors Annual Fall Turkey video. Fall Turkey Hunting is one of the greatest times for a wild turkey hunter to be in the woods. If you want to be a better spring turkey hunter, then a few days in the Fall season will teach you and give you lessons that will help you for the upcoming spring. A good Fall turkey hunter will make you a Great Spring turkey hunter. In this video we will discuss Finding Longbeard Gobblers in the Fall.

 

Wading a shallow stream was an asset, and I sloshed my rubber boots to remove as much scent as possible.  Once on the bank, I squirted buck lure on each sole to lay down an alluring trail to my stand.  Twenty yards further I hung a scent wick, doused with Golden Estrous to help disguise my location.  Finally, as daylight arrived, I settled in against a large tree.  This is my favorite hunting spot in the world and I’d be more effective from a tree stand, yet that would give my location away.  At first light, I began a rattling and grunting sequence and within two hours had an 8-point on the ground.  Rutting whitetails are so fun to hunt.

Play the Scent Game

Scent during the rut is ironic.  You want to eliminate as much of yours as possible and lure in deer with as much of theirs.  You wait 50 weeks of the year to hunt just two, so do all that you can to eliminate your scent.  Begin with a shower and a clean body.  Add scent-free clothing that has been sprayed with scent eliminator or purified with an ozone generator.  Wear rubber boots that have not been worn in a vehicle and either put buck lure on them or use a trail drag.  Once near your stand, hang the drag in your best shooting lane.  The buck shown above was distracted by my drag line and walked directly toward me as it raised it’s head to sniff the scent.

Grunts Can’t Hurt-

I never go deer hunting without a grunt tube, in any season, any weather, any time.  I believe it’s the most effective deer call a hunter can use, especially fors bowhunters that must draw a buck in close.  You can’t screw up a grunt call unless you start playing music.  If a doe snorts because she sees or smells me, I use a grunt call to calm her down.  If I spot a buck and want to draw it closer, I grunt.  I’m also a believer in “cold calling” and grunt every 15 minutes or so.  If I’m stalking or moving through thick cover a grunt can cover my sound and make deer believe I’m in the rut.  Eddie Salter gave me the HS True Talker call 30 years ago and it still works.  The Primos can call is easy to use and you never know what it will bring in.

Bang those Bones-

“Do you have rattling horns,” the local hunter asked as I climbed from my stand at midday for a chat.  “They work well in early November.”  Taking the friendly hunter’s advice, I rattled in the biggest deer of my life the next morning- a 14-pointer that scored 164 1/8th.  Up until that time, I’d rattled hundreds of times with no success, but as the saying goes, “It only has to work once.”  Since that time, I’ve used the faded rattle bag shown in the picture many times and use it extensively during the rut, even when bowhunting in rifle season.  In a normal sit, I rattle every half hour or so.  The biggest buck I’ve missed, I rattled repeatedly for twenty minutes to bring him 50 yards closer and then shot the wrong sight pin.

False Scrapes Work

Finding a series of hot scrapes is an adrenaline rush and most archers can’t wait to hang a stand.  However, sometimes the wind is wrong for the best tree or there is no suitable tree to climb.  A false scrape allows you to use your best stand locations and bring bucks to you.  This “Active-Branch” kit from Wildlife Research has all the tools you need to make a mock scrape, all you need is a branch.

African safaris are very popular because they allow multiple species on a single hunt.  In the next few weeks, bowhunters will be spending more time on stand and in blinds than any time of the year so why not maximize your opportunity?  A turkey box caller is easy to use and takes very little space in your back.  Use your cell phone to call coyotes, bears, and other predators.  It’s as easy as “Hey Ceri” or “Hey Google, play a dieng rabbit squeal.”

Calling All Turkeys

Young turkeys, the kind often seen in flocks make a wide variety of sounds.  They are immature adults and like humans going through a voice-changing stage, they make all kinds of sounds.  Anything close to a turkey sound will work.  Also, a lost turkey makes lots of sounds so you can work the box caller repeatedly to attract the flock’s dominant hen or another turkey that has become separated.  Adult gobblers are more difficult to call, yet sometimes join flocks of young birds.  The Lynch World Champion Box Call shown above makes both hen and gobbler sounds and is my favorite.

Action Makes Time Seem to Go Faster

The more time on the stand, the luckier you become.  There is no bad time of day to hunt in November and you want to spend as much time as possible in likely deer spots.  That takes perseverance and if you have a turkey call or varmint caller in your pocket, the time will seem to go much faster.  Likewise, should you spot a coyote or a flock of turkeys, you can lure them to your stand without jeopardizing your deer hunt.  Turkeys make a lot of noise in the wild and your calls can help cover inadvertent sounds you make if nature calls or you need to climb from your stand.

Smart Phone- Smart Hunter

Smartphones have excellent acoustics and reproduce sounds with great authenticity.  To call a coyote or fox to your stand, type in “dying rabbit sound” and you’ll either get a squealing rabbit or a video containing that sound.  The same for coyotes.  If you want a territorial coyote howl, you don’t have to practice for hours on a caller, just let Google or your favorite search engine find one.

Be Legal and Ethical

Hunting multiple animals at the same time can have a downside.  Hunting deer over bait is legal in many states, but hunting wild turkeys over bait is considered unethical and is illegal in most states.  Also, electronic turkey callers are illegal in some states, but electronic predator callers are not.  Likewise with hunter orange.  A wild turkey can spot an orange hat a mile away so you won’t be calling them into bow range if you are required to wear orange.

An old warrior. He’s my first ever. An Arkansas whitetail buck! After a long hot week of bowhunting along the banks of the lower Arkansas river, it finally came together. The mosquitoes had just finished their favorite dinner, white meat sauteed in sweat with a dab of blood. I had just paid the tab when at last I spotted a small sapling shaking side to side. A buck!

He was working a tall China berry but just below the canopy, out of my view. The tree eventually stopped moving so I quickly flipped on my cameras, picked up my Oneida and waited.

It was dry. Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! I could hear him coming through the dry leaves.. I was ready when the big ol boy stepped into a clearing not twenty yards out. Slock! The arrow zipped through the buck then buried my Grim Reaper Broadhead deep in the dry red clay behind him. He then took two leaps and stopped to look back.

Seconds passed. Then the old warrior hit the dirt. Some would say he’s a cull, but I say not. For he’s at least six years old but looks like he’s sixty. 250 pounds with gnarly, thick, ragged antlers and a cape covered in battle scars. He was probably the king of the swamp.

A fighter perhaps a lover as well. A buck whose story no doubt was one of strength and resilience! He’s had a tough long life. A good life, and now it’s over.

Reprinted From Deer-Forest StudyBlog

A couple of months ago Ashley Stimpson contacted us about the Deer-Forest Study. She wanted to write a piece for the NY Times.  Ashley covers science, nature, and travel in her work, and we were excited to talk with her about the Deer-Forest Study. I mean how often do you get an opportunity to be featured in the NY Times!

Ashley’s story, Deer are Everywhere, but We Barely Know Them, was published on Monday, October 16, online, and in print Tuesday, October 17!

Needless to say, our humble blog has been introduced to a wide and diverse audience from across the country. In a day, Duane received MANY emails, was invited on radio talk show, and asked to teach a Lifelong Learning class.

If you are new to the Deer Forest blog, WELCOME! We are so happy to have you and hope you will take some time to learn about the study.

“I just got out of the University of MD shock trauma unit today. I fell out of a stand cutting a padlock off one of my stands in Handcock. I laid there for 12 hours yelling for help.

After dark I drug myself to my truck and lit a fire hoping someone would see it, plus to stay warm. I almost burnt up in the fire and almost bled out finally got up into my truck and got to my Apple Watch to call 911 after 121/2 hours. I had a crushed femur and bleeding in the brain but I’m out now.”

Tree Stand Safety

I won’t mention my buddy’s name, but this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this story.  Another fellow I hunted with fell from a stand and told how he lay in the leaves from morning until night.  He could hear his phone vibrating as his wife called repeatedly when he didn’t return.

He believed, accurately, that his back was broken and that he couldn’t move to answer the phone.  Luckily, he usually hunted in the same tree stand and help eventually arrived.  I had the above stand built for the safety of me and my grandchildren.  It probably should have a handrail, but I’m able to navigate the slanted ladder even in the dark.  A box blind is a much safer option than traditional treestands.

Opt for a Ladder

If you count the rungs on this ladder stand, you will note that it’s barely 10 feet above the ground.  I hunt from it as do my three grandchildren and I purposely chose the closeness to the ground, “just in case.”
Ladder stands are easy to climb into, especially in the dark.  I have a steel hook in the tree at the top of the stand so that my safety harness can fit over it easily.  Because the stand is nestled between a tree with two trunks, deer and other game seldom sees me and I’m constantly amazed at how well the stand works at such a low level.

Love grilling wild game? Then you’ve got to try these juicy venison kabobs with Chimichurri.

Create a distinctive and flavorful meal that goes beyond traditional grilled backstrap. The combination of marinated venison and bright and tangy chimichurri sauce creates a flavorful explosion of herbs and steak, while the onion and bell pepper deliver a colorful and delicious presentation.

We have a feeling this will become a go-to at your next backyard cookout!

Ingredients

The Kabobs and Marinade

1- 1 1/2 lb. venison backstrap, silver skin trimmed and cut into 1 – 1 ½ inch chunks1 teaspoon Salt1 teaspoon Black Pepper2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar3 Tablespoon Olive Oil1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce½ Red Onion, cut into 1-inch pieces1 large Red Bell Pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces1 large Green Pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

The Chimichurri

1/3 cup Fresh Basil1/3 cup Fresh Cilantro1/3 cup Fresh Parsley1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar1/2 Lemon, Juiced1 teaspoon Minced Garlic1 Shallot, Finely Diced1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup Olive Oil1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Recipe Directions

In a large bowl or Ziploc bag, combine red wine vinegar, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce.Pat venison dry using paper towels then season with salt and black pepper on all sides. Add the venison into the bowl with the marinade and toss. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes. You can do this in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 30 minutesIn a blender or food processor, pulse together basil, cilantro, parsley, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, crushed red pepper flakes, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. With the motor running, add ¼ cup more olive oil and blend until smooth, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside.Preheat your grill to medium high heat. For an extra char to your kabobs, spray the grill grates with cooking spray.Alternatively, thread meat and veggies onto the skewers, making sure to leave a bit of space and not cramming all the ingredients together. (Note: If you are using wooden skewers, be sure to let them soak for 20 minutes prior to threading them.)Once the grill is preheated, place skewers directly onto the grill and cook. Turn every several minutes, allowing to cook evenly on each side. (rotate every 2-3 minutes). Cooking time may vary but about 10-12 minutes should be roughly enough based on how you like your steak cooked. It’s recommended to cook them to 145°F for medium rare. 120°F for rare.Remove from the grill. Rest for a few minutes. Spoon Chimichurri over kabobs and serve!

16 year old young girl bowhunter gets set up on wild hogs and makes the shot.

Most of today’s top crossbows advertise their slender profile, such that they are nearly as round as a baseball bat.  A trim profile works well in a tree stand or shooting in tight places, however, the narrowness has a downside.  I often hunt from the ground and I’m constantly cradling the bow to keep the cams out of the dirt and debris.

At times I long for the wider limbs so that I can rest the bow on the stock and forend so that it stays verticle.  The folks at Pine Ridge Archery have solved this problem with a small bipod that steadies the crossbow and keeps it from rolling.

Light and Flexible

Many crossbow and rifle rests advertised on Television are designed for long-range shooting and are not attached to your crossbow.  They weigh from three to eight pounds, usually have extended tripod legs, and are separate from the crossbow.

The Kwik Stand is designed to be used attached to the bow and offers a solid rest from the prone position.  It keeps your crossbow in the vertical position so that you can easily slide the safety to the “off” position and raise it without putting your hands or fingers in harm’s way.  The legs of the Kwik Stand easily attach and can be carried in your pocket and reassembled in seconds as needed.

Picatinny Rail Attachment

The plastic attachment device fits on standard rails and weighs just ounces.  Once installed the legs of the Kwik Stand snap onto it and you have the ability to rest your crossbow on the ground or a flat surface without rolling over.  This attachment piece fits snugly so there’s no danger of vibration upon launch and the tightening screw uses a standard Allen wrench.

After reading Robbie Ceamer’s Text John and I drove to meet him and take pictures of his deer harvest from this morning. It was at the area that unfortunately became called “Double Cross.” Robbie walked to the ‘D.C.’ area before daylight and got inside his pop-up ground blind that’s surrounded by brush and green woods weeds.

While we were recovering John’s wild hog Robbie was watching a nearby doe walking out of the trees toward his position. When it stopped the doe was 10 yards away. Robbie drew his bow and aimed carefully at the vitals.

The shot was perfect and the doe jumped forward two steps and went down for the count. Robbie rigged his iPhone on a small tree and took a few time-delay photos.

Then he texted me about his morning bowhunt. A few minutes later a 3rd text showed up on my phone and  and a supper mature, old buck was being brought into camp.

John arrived at our Deer Camp at 5;00 AM. I woke up when he texted me that he would be ready to meat me at 6:00AM. So I got on my black blind hunting clothes, made a cup of coffee and sat down to drink it. And quickly fell back asleep.

Later, John quietly slipped into my house and tapped me on the shoulder and told me he was ready to go to the small tin-blind that we hunted from.

“Be right there,” I said. But I was back asleep in 60 seconds.

Meanwhile, John got into the blind, ready for the morning bowhunt.

As daylight began removing the nightime’s blackness out of John’s view he saw the faint figure of a wild hog slowly become a clear shape on the nearby edge of the surrounding brush. John waited until the daylight improved enough so he could see good. The wild hog was broadside.

STEP BY STEP HOW-TO: Deboneing Deer In The Field. One of the very best field dressing and field deboning videos on YouTube. Very informative with no commercials.

Bill Car with the Pennsylvania Game Commission shoes you how to Debone a freshly killed doe and pack it out of the woods.

Jake and Nick of The Hunting Public head for a familiar spot and find a Big-Buck while stalking and hunting on the ground. By https://www.thehuntingpublic.com/

  The Hunting Public

Steve Bartylla discusses the little steps hunters can take in their deerhunting area that will increase the chances for them to see more deer. Hunt ’em Big.

Jim Shockey is one of America’s best-known hunters and films his world-wide adventures for his TV shows.  Given the nature of Maryland’s Sika deer, it’s no wonder that Shockey visited the Eastern Shore for this unique trophy.  Sika deer, the Asian elk by genus/species, found a home in the swamps of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and has become one of the most challenging game animals in the East.  Known for exceptionally fine-tasting venison, these creatures mimic several of the behaviors of Western elk such as bugling and wallowing.  They differ in size and activity with the Sika moving mostly at first and last light.

Whitetails Too

This giant whitetail deer came from Wicomico County, one of the many counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore that produce giant deer.  This huge buck grossed 203 B&C and is truly every hunter’s dream.  The prospect of taking a big whitetail buck and a Sika stag on the same license is just one of the major reasons this hunting combo is so popular.  Licenses are available online or over-the-counter and non-residents have the same bag limits as residents.

Prime, Prime Time

Sika deer are difficult to hunt because they are very nocturnal and live in dense swamps where vegetation is thick and mosquitoes even thicker.  One of the best times to hunt them is in mid-October during their mating period.  Males bugle by making a high-pitched, multi-tone whistle which can be heard for quite a distance on calm days.  Since these animals chase through swamps, their splashing is a real rush when the sounds suddenly head in your direction.  For 2023, Maryland’s early muzzleloading season opens from October 19 to 21 but excludes archery from these dates.  Many sportsmen choose to bowhunt and muzzleloader hunt during this rutting time.  Also, whitetail deer often have their early rut in mid-October when a few does come into estrus a month earlier than the normal cycle.

What’s It Like

Mid-October is the mating season for Sika deer and the time of peak activity during daylight.  The above picture gives an idea of the type of terrain that you may be hunting in and it’s not for sissies.  I have two friends who cherish this hunt and have been successful, but only with a lot of planning and work.  They use a canoe to get to a remote bay and then search for spots on high grounds in the swamps.  Sikas make trails like Western elk and whitetail deer and they scout until they find several trails crossing and deploy a climbing tree stand.  They wear chest waders since wading through shallow water is a near certainty.  They hunt with muzzleloaders, yet each is an avid archer and they may hunt a day or two with crossbows before the muzzleloading season opens.

Public or Private Land

If you have limited time to scout and prep for this hunt, it may be best to book a guided hunt.  Sika deer hunts have become popular and this is a good way to “learn the ropes” for future excursions on your own.  With the advent of OnX Maps and other mapping apps, locating boundaries is much easier and so is “staying found.”  You will probably have to hunt until the last minutes of legal shooting light and few things are as disorienting as a swamp at night.  The Blackwater Wildlife Refuge is a huge chunk of public land and is popular with hunters.  Sika hunting is legal in all Maryland counties with Worchester being the most popular.  The Maryland DNR offers special hunts on public lands like the Assateague Island National Seashore, however, the drawing deadline for these hunts has passed.