Deer & Deer Hunting is written and edited for serious, year-round hunting enthusiasts, focusing on hunting techniques, deer biology and behavior, deer management, habitat requirements, the natural history of deer and hunting ethics
Two East Coast states made the news earlier this year by using legislation to address problems associated with their white-tailed deer resources. First, South Carolina boldly advanced legislation that would place a no-holds-barred bounty on coyotes. Tree huggers began screaming while true conservationists began applauding. What this boils down to is a state taking responsibility for a non-native invasive species. First, a few facts, according to the trained biologists within the SCDNR: The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has never released coyotes into the state for any reason, including deer management. Coyotes first appeared in the upstate region in 1978, and are now present in all South Carolina counties. Coyotes were illegally imported into South Carolina for hound running. SCDNR and Federal law enforcement has and will continue to…
We asked D&DH Facebook fans, “What do you think: Should all states allow the use of lighted nocks for bowhunting?” The response was overwhelmingly in favor of their use. Your replies: There’s nothing wrong with a lighted nock. It doesn’t help you with hitting the deer; it just shows you where you hit the deer — and you can find your arrow if you lose it. — Timothy Smith I shot a deer with a lighted nock and the arrow didn’t blow through the deer. There was good blood, but then it started to snow real hard and I lost the trail. I started wandering the woods and found the red nock, but it was still in the deer, and she was still alive. She ran off with the arrow…
With summer hitting full stride, we’re thinking about the upcoming deer season and you can, too, by watching Deer & Deer Hunting-TV on Sportsman Channel. Whether you love bows, crossbows, rifles or muzzle-loaders from a treestand or sitting in a ground blind, you’ll find exciting hunts and great information on DDH-TV. Hosts Dan Schmidt, Gordy Krahn, Mark Kayser and Steve Bartylla give you the best tips, expert advice and more during their hunts throughout the country. Check your local listings for Sportsman Channel airtimes. SHOPDEERHUNTING.COM Want to know how you can become a better shot with your bow, improve your consistency, increase your range, what gear will make you more effective and how to avoid bowhunting’s most common bugaboos? “Deer & Deer Hunting’s Guide to Better Bowhunting” is packed with…
I am a third generation Californian from a family of non-hunters who moved to Wisconsin to work on a deer research project. It was there that I first interacted with the hunting community, and my perspectives on hunting began to shift. I am now a graduate student at UW-Madison and this past Halloween participated in the DNR’s “Learn to Hunt” program at Sandhill Wildlife Area. My friend Emily is a fellow graduate student who recently started hunting, and she agreed to be my hunting mentor. We spent the night at Sandhill’s research dorms and, before turning in, played around with our climbing treestands to avoid fumbling around with them in the dark the next morning. We awoke at 5:15 a.m. to drizzling rain and the forecast was for rain all…
There are no “born deer hunters,” at least I’ve never met one. My whitetail journey has now spanned half a century, and my life-long passion for these animals has left me with incredible respect for them. Along the way I’ve learned they are brilliant, far smarter than the majority of deer hunters realize. They also know every odor on the wind, especially that of their chief predator, which is man. I’ve been privileged to hunt whitetails from New York to Saskatchewan to Texas and many points in between. This, along with raising whitetails for more than 20 years for behavioral study, has allowed me to learn much about America’s most popular big game animal. Though some have called me a whitetail expert, I’m far from it because truth be known,…
I’ll be honest. I didn’t recognize the buck when I saw him. After all, the ancient warrior had apparently found a safe spot on the otherwise pummeled neighboring property. For five years I’d gotten his picture only during late season, when the temptations of the perceived lack of pressure on our grounds and Antler King’s Honey Hole food plot mix were too strong of a combination to resist. He’d survived such a long life by hanging tight to what I’m sure was a small core area and not moving outside of it during daylight. What I knew with a glance was that this buck was mature and I wanted him. And he was cooperating, steadily making his way to the pinch point in the food plot my blind covered. I…
