Deer Hunting: Hunting Humor & Whitetail Deer

Archive for the ‘Deer Hunting Tips’ Category

Deer Hunting Essentials

Thursday, April 5th, 2007

Deer Hunting

If hunters held a popularity contest for wild animals, the whitetail deer would win every time. Admired for its speed and jumping ability, a deer can run 40 miles per hour and leap over a fence 8 feet tall. Besides their beauty, Deer are also extremely challenging animals to hunt.

Deer move silently through the woods, constantly aware of the hunter’s presence and can disappear from sight in the blink of an eye. Deer are naturally camouflaged and their acute sense of smell is 1000 times more powerful than humans. Even the best hunter can leave the woods after 3 straight weeks, without firing a shot.

Hunting GearA few things every hunter needs are deer stand, weapon, waterproof boots, knife, tags, orange clothing, rope and a permit. There are two different types of deer stands, ladder stands, and climbers. Ladder stands are ladders with a platform on top of them chained to a tree. Climber stands are platforms with a seat that may be carried on your back and then placed usually about 4-8 feet off the ground on a tree.Waterproof boots are not essential but they come in very handy, especially since deer do not always fall down where you shoot them and may run for a few miles into the woods. Knives are essential for skinning and field dressing deer. Tags and permits are required to hunt deer legally; they may be purchased from local sporting good stores or your state’s DNR website.

Rope is necessary for dragging your deer after the kill. Adult female white-tailed deer can weigh 145 pounds, males 170. The heaviest whitetail ever recorded in the United States was a 500-pound Minnesota buck.

Hunters and environmentalist alike will agree that deer hunting is an extremely valuable wildlife conservation tool that ensures the biological success of our natural resources, while supporting the nation’s economy.

38 Million Strong, the American Hunter pours $70 billion into the economy annually–with a whopping $179 billion in ripple effect. This makes the American Hunter among the most prominent and inflectional of all demographic groups.

The American Deer Hunter, Men and women from all walks of life, doing what they love, growing the economy, helping conservation and contributing to society.

Posted in Minnesota Deer Hunting, Deer Hunting Equipment, Deer Hunters, Deer Hunting Tips, Deer Hunting | 2 Comments »

How to survive a Grizzly Bear Attack

Saturday, March 17th, 2007

I was browsing the internet when I came across this amazing site The Traveling Hunter from Anthony Acerrano . This article answers the question “What’s the best way to defend yourself if you run into a grizzly while hunting–or if a grizzly tries to run into you?”

Nearly all authorities on the subject agree that the first two words to memorize in this regard are “pepper spray.” I’m fully aware that some hunters associate pepper spray with politically correct, granola-eating, New Age, tree-hugger crapola. “Just give me my gun,” these guys brag, “and I’ll drop any charging griz like a sack of rocks.”

Other hunters are less fanatical on the subject, but simply have serious (and understandable) doubts about the efficacy of a spray can to stop one of the largest and most dangerous animals in North America. Doesn’t it just make sense that a high-caliber bullet is more potent, and more effective in a life-or-death situation?

It’s a reasonable question, and by no means should hunters dismiss the power and value of their firearms, as we’ll discuss later. But as is so often the case when it comes to bears, the answer is more complex than it might first appear.

Studies by biologist Stephen Herrero and others indicate that pepper spray works on charging bears about 90 to 96 percent of the time. Mark Matheny, a hunter who was seriously mauled by a grizzly several years ago while deer hunting north of Yellowstone Park, and who subsequently began a career devoted to bear self-defense and the manufacture of UDAP pepper spray, explains how a mere blast of cayenne aerosol can stop an angry griz:

“First, with a charging bear the loud hissing and billowing cloud startles them, lessening or turning their aggressive intentions into a state of surprise or even defensive evasion. When a bear hits the wall of fog and breathes it in, his sense of smell is instantly shut down, which confuses any animal. Chemically, pepper spray is an inflammatory agent, an irritant, that gets into the bear’s mucus membranes, causing temporary blindness, choking, and difficulty breathing. In many cases, they go off hacking and coughing.”

For those who believe a gun is still a better bet to stop a bear, Matheny adds:

“Some people think a .44 magnum or large-caliber rifle is going to have the ‘power’ to stop a bear. But you’re talking about a bullet not much wider than a writing pen hitting a vital area. That’s assuming you even get a bullet off. Most times when someone with a firearm is attacked, they don’t get a shot off. You’ve got to get the gun up, aim, and fire. With pepper spray, you can fire right from the holster, putting up a wide stream, even a fog, of deterrent. You can respond instantly and the likelihood of hitting the bear is much greater.”

Another compelling reason for the use of pepper spray instead of bullets is that many grizzly charges are not full “attacks,” but are only attempts by the bear to discourage and intimidate human intruders. For instance, if you surprise a grizzly feeding on an elk carcass (possibly your elk carcass), the bear might charge without intending actual contact, its purpose being to simply drive you away.

Of course, for those who aren’t expert at reading bear behavior, it’s fair to ask, “How am I supposed to know whether the bear means business or is just bluffing?” Which is precisely why pepper spray is a better alternative to a bullet in most situations. With the spray, you can very likely discourage the bear without worsening the situation or elevating it to an irreversibly deadlier level. If the bear breaks through the spray blast, and you’re an armed hunter, you still have your gun as a last resort. But if a sprayed bear veers off, the encounter is over. No one is hurt. Conversely, if your first line of defense is a gunshot, and you shoot at the bear, the results will almost always be more severe. If the bear was only bluffing, you’ve now either killed or wounded a bear unnecessarily. Also possible is that by wounding it you’ve turned a bluffing bear into a seriously enraged one, intent on killing you. Another scenario: You shoot at an attacking bear and–because they come so fast, unbelievably fast if you’ve never experienced it, often catching you in utter surprise–you simply miss. The bear is on you. What you missed with bullets you could have easily hit with deterrent spray.

But aren’t there times when you should shoot, or perhaps must shoot? While pepper spray is generally considered the best primary, first-choice bear defense, you wouldn’t want to make the same mistake as the hunter in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest who, when charged by a sow grizzly with three yearling cubs, allegedly threw his high-powered rifle at the bear and pulled out a can of pepper spray, which by that time failed to stop the attack. The hunter was mauled until his partner shot and killed the 475-pound animal. Later, from his hospital bed, the hunter said he didn’t want to shoot the bear because he feared going to jail (for killing an endangered species) and losing his hunting privileges.

The reality is, if a grizzly attacks, sometimes you have to shoot, and, further, you would be foolish not to. That is why I think of pepper spray as “the first line of defense, when feasible.” If there’s no time to hit the spray button (and with the canister mounted pistol-fashion on your belt, you can aim and fire from the hip in mere seconds), or if you spray and the bear keeps coming, you have little choice but to shoot. With a grizzly still far enough away to dissuade, you can try a shot into the air or into the ground near the animal, hoping the muzzle blast or bullet noise will stop or turn the charge. But with a close, fast-incoming bear, don’t waste time with a warning shot. Aim for the deadliest point you can find. On a close-in, charging bear, this will probably be the face or upper chest. Often full-attack grizzlies lower their heads as they come in, so that’s about all you have to aim at. More than one Alaskan guide of my acquaintance suggests aiming for the snout–a high shot goes into the upper skull or even over the top, into the neck or spine; and if the bear hops or you shoot low, you have a chance at the throat, chest, or even a shoulder or leg, all of which can stop the animal, if only long enough for you to aim and shoot again.

Although this is legitimate self-defense, it clearly is not a desirable outcome. That is why Mark Matheny likes to tell hunters, “Spray ‘em, don’t slay ‘em.” He points out that too many close-encounter grizzlies are killed unnecessarily; which is not only bad for the bears, but also for hunting’s already precarious social image. Long-time bear biologist Chris Servheen agrees, calling the unnecessary killing of grizzlies by sportsmen nothing less than “a threat to hunting.”

In the end, the ideal is to protect yourself while sparing the bears, whenever that’s possible. –Anthony Acerrano

Source Sport Afield

Posted in Deer Hunters, Deer Hunting Tips, Deer Hunting | 5 Comments »

Methamphetamine and Meth Labs how outdoor enthusiast can Help

Monday, March 5th, 2007

Hunters, Hikers and Nature Lovers are helping local officials in the battle against Meth.

In the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase in the abuse of the drug methamphetamine (meth) in Minnesota. The production of meth in illegal “meth labs” has also been a serious problem for agencies and communities throughout the state.

Minnesota observed its highest numbers of (reported) meth labs and other meth-related events (meth chemical dumps, anhydrous ammonia thefts) in 2003 with more than 500 events reported. That number decreased to 320 events in 2004.

How can you Help?

While out hunting, hiking, nature viewing or doing other outdoor activities, if you see what appears to be a methamphetamine lab, contact your local law enforcement agency or conservation officer immediately.

Items to watch for

Signs of a methamphetamine lab include large quantities of common household products. Used as designed, these household products are generally safe. Mixed together, they can become explosive and/or give off toxic fumes.

Chemicals
Acetone
Cold pill packets containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine
Drain cleaner
Engine starter
Iodine Heet
Lithium batteries
Matches (red phosphorous)
Muriatic acid
Anhydrous ammonia
Red Devil lye
Salt (table or rock)
Sodium metal
Trichloroethane (gun cleaning solvent)
Toluene

Meth Lab Equipment

Aluminum foil
Blender Bottles
Cheesecloth
Coffee filters
Funnels
Gas can
Hot plate
Jugs
Paper towels
Propane tank/thermos
Pyrex dishes
Rubber gloves/tubing
Strainer
Tape/clamps
Thermometer

Meth can be easily be made from these common household chemicals and products. These ingredients are mixed and “cooked” to make this dangerous drug. The cooking process can also create potentially harmful chemical residues that can remain on household surfaces for months or years after “cooking” is over. There may be adverse health effects in people exposed to lab chemicals before, during and after the production process.

Each meth lab, spill or dump is a potential hazardous waste site, requiring assessment and remediation by experienced and qualified personnel.

The Methamphetamine Program at the Minnesota Department of Health, in conjunction with many public and private organizations, has been working to share resources, raise awareness, protect endangered children, provide technical advice for the remediation (cleaning) of meth labs, and to help Minnesota communities work together to create a strong, local response to this problem through education, training, and civil action

CLICK HERE for more information

Posted in Minnesota Deer Hunting, Deer Hunters, Deer Hunting Tips, Deer Hunting | No Comments »

Huge Whitetail Deer Harvest Predicted

Friday, September 29th, 2006

The 2006 Whitetail Deer hunting season should provide hunters with a bountiful harvest. Dry summer conditions and warmer winters have dramatically increased the size of the Whitetail deer herds across the upper Midwest. With favorable conditions, a lot of hunters should be shooting a lot of deer this season. Not only should the harvest be excellent, but the amount of Trophy Bucks taken should also increase.

With these thoughts in mind, I headed into the woods of northern Minnesota this weekend to scout, check the stands and make sure my arrows were still flying true. It was a dismal weekend for Bow Hunting. As I made my way through the fields, I was greeted with rain, wind and DEER. I have never seen so many deer out in the fields as I did this weekend. At one point, I stopped and just counted the Bucks. Six Bucks were engaged in different stages of grazing and bedding down right out in the open and I didn’t even bother trying to count the does. All I could think about was how quickly I would have filled my intensive harvest tags had it been rifle season.

Upon reaching my stand, the rain and wind picked up considerably. I sat for about 2 hours before a big 8pt buck crossed in front of my stand. It was moving quickly and as I drew back my bow, the deer stopped then immediately bolted toward the fields. Disappointed and with night approaching, I decided to leave the stand and see if I could get a clear shot at one of the feeding giants. I made my way through the trail and finally reached the clearing with a clear view of the pastures.

I was greeted by the site of 3 deer feeding within 50 yards of my position. I notched an arrow and slowly crept towards them, walking along side the field as to not draw their attention towards me. I was within 35 yards when the 8pt noticed me, I drew back my bow and decided to try my luck. I let the arrow fly and wham…A direct hit…..into the ground.

The deer, being alerted to my intentions, bolted for the safety of the deep woods. Wet, cold and thoroughly dejected I decided to call it a night and try my luck in the morning. Though my hunting didn’t produce any spoils, the scouting information regarding the size of the herd was extremely uplifting. I can’t remember the last time I saw as many deer on the back 80 as I did this weekend. I predict a great harvest and one of the best chances for a trophy in as long as this hunter can remember. Good Hunting!

Posted in Minnesota Deer Hunting, Deer Hunters, DeerBeards, Deer Hunting Tips, Deer Hunting | No Comments »

Hunting Rules

Tuesday, September 5th, 2006

Summer’s officially over even though you can’t tell because it’s still so hot and sticky outside. Most of us have finished pre-season scouting, and have hung our tree stands along well-traveled deer trails, hopefully next to a mature white oak that will begin dropping acorns soon. Finally, the time of year we’ve been waiting for is here, the beginning of football and better yet, Archery and rifle deer hunting season.

If hunters held a popularity contest for wild animals, the white-tailed deer would probably win. Admired for its speed and jumping ability, a deer can run 40 miles per hour and leap over a fence 8 feet tall. Even from a standstill, a deer could jump straight up and over your orange covered heads. People like the beauty and graceful movements of the white-tailed deer. The buck’s antlers look like an ivory crown. When it walks, a deer seems almost to float. It moves silently into the woods, sometimes disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.

Whitetails also make a fine dinner entree, are good for you and taste great.

(Personally, I like Jerky, but any of these cuts wil do)

Archery season provides a great opportunity to take a trophy whitetail and hunting the rut is arguably one of the best times to do so. If you’re stealthy enough and have done your homework, you’ve got a good chance of having a nice one walk out in front of you.

As a matter of fact, a lot of the rutting goes on until right before the start of rifle season. During rut doe scent works great. Post rut, these guys are beat, smelling like dirt might be better than trying to sex up your stand. Remember, those little buggers have been rutting for weeks so come November, they are tired and could go for some acorns and a nap.After rifle season starts and the pressure to rut has passed, a lot of your mature bucks go nocturnal. Since their not chasing ruting mates, you might not see that big buck again for the rest of the season, except for maybe a picture taken from your game-cam sometime during the middle of the night.

Note: Only bows may be used during archery season. No bows, crossbows, spears, daggers, Medieval pole arms, battle axes, tomahawks, Pikes, Lances, fauchard, Glavie, Guisarme, Wu Jian or Shuriken Daggers, may be used to harvest deer during rifle season. Other things you can’t use during rifle season include explosives or drug-injecting arrows, a machete or bows equipped with electronic computational or laser sights.

This behavior is not allowed!

You also can’t use dogs to hunt deer, but you can use bird-dogs if you are hunting birds. Otherwise, the only time you can have a dog in the woods while hunting is if you have one on a leash, or if you are trying to make it look like an accident.

Towards the end of rifle season, if you still haven’t seen anything and you’re quite the marksman, rabbits and gray squirrels make good substitutes to shooting the real thing. In a pinch, Raccoons, opossums, coyotes, nutrias, skunks and beavers also may be used to satisfy your craving for hunting glory.

As far as legal shooting hours are concerned, you’re allowed to let your bullets fly one half-hour before sunrise and one half-hour after sunset

Well, I hope I’ve helped answer any questions you might have had regarding the rules and regulations of deer hunting as some of these rules can be a bit confusing. ( See Note:)

Here’s hoping all your preparation and persistence pays off and wishing you luck on taking that monster buck.

As always, have fun, hunt safely and we’ll see you soon!
Ole Grey

Posted in Deer Hunting Equipment, Minnesota Deer Hunting, Deer Hunters, DeerBeards, Deer Hunting Videos, Deer Hunting Tips, Deer Hunting | 3 Comments »

Deer Hunting: Hunting Humor & Whitetail Deer

Archive for the ‘Deer Hunting Tips’ Category

Deer Hunting Pictures

Deer Hunting News

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