Deer & Deer Hunting

the elephant in the room

The baiting article that appears on Page 46 of this issue addresses a topic that’s sure to elicit arguments in deer camps everywhere. Bryan Hendricks addresses it from a Southern perspective, but we believe this is a topic that deserves national attention. For starters, take what’s happening in Michigan. Will the state’s new baiting ban affect the number of gun-hunters who buy licenses? If history is an indicator, yes, it seems as though this deer-rich state is headed for further declines in participation and harvest rates. It’s not just Michigan, and it’s not just about baiting. Participation and harvest rates have been on a steady decline nearly everywhere over the past 20 years. There are many contributing factors, including cost, demographics and access to hunting land. Michigan has already seen a 20%…

deer & deer hunting

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Daniel E. Schmidt SENIOR EDITOR Chris Berens CREATIVE DIRECTOR Rebecca Vogel ONLINE CONTENT SPECIALIST Sara Sommercorn DEER RESEARCH FIELD EDITOR John J. Ozoga FIELD CONTRIBUTORS Steve Bartylla, Bob Zaiglin, Dr. Stephen Ditchkoff, Steve Sorensen ADVERTISING SALES PUBLISHER Brad Rucks brad.rucks@media360llc.com SALES ASSOCIATES Casey Lenz casey.lenz@media360llc.com Kevin Rowe ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Lisa Richter, lisa.richter@media360llc.com TELEVISION & ONLINE VIDEO EXECUTIVE PRODUCER David Gilane PRODUCER Quinten Brown…

readers recoil

I just finished enjoying the excellent September 2019 issue of Deer & Deer Hunting. I have a comment for two articles in that issue. Keri Butt’s “Genetic Realities” was not only very well-written, it was eye-opening and thought-provoking. She obviously researched the evidence cited and made quite the case for the material presented. How many times have most of us seen TV personalities on or hunting videos “take out a cull to help improve the herd quality.” This article should help any reader re-think those old theories! On the Roger Page “Expanding The Process” article, I must take exception to the tone of the article — that of practically shaming a hunter who doesn’t butcher his or her own deer. I am just the opposite of him in that I used to…

d&dh community

THE #1 RUT FORECAST On Newsstands EVERYWHERE! Begin planning next year’s hunts now with the Deer & Deer Hunting 2020 Whitetail Calendar. No, it’s not too early to get a jump on your hunting buddies and plan dates for next season with this info-packed calendar that includes the annual whitetail rut forecast, lunar phases and more. The late Charles Alsheimer contributed his decades of knowledge into the forecast formula, which has helped countless hunters time the seeking, chasing and tending phases of the rut. You’ll also get amazing white-tailed deer photography that captures deer in all of the seasons, along with deer activity charts. It’s not only the most useful calendar you’ll own, but quite possibly the ultimate gift for any deer hunter! Find the 2020 Whitetail Calendar and all Deer & Deer…

world’s biggest forkhorn?

A CLOSER LOOK AT KENTUCKY’S INCREDIBLE ‘SLINGSHOT’ BUCK When Ohio resident Riley Emery was hunting the early 2019 season in Kentucky, he was hoping for a chance at one of the mature bucks hunters are talking about more and more from the Bluegrass State. Emery had tried other Kentucky outfitters with disappointing results, but Luke Carswell, owner of 7 Bar, assured Emery he takes only four hunters per week to minimize the pressure on the deer he hunts. Even with an outfitter, deer hunting has no guarantees, but Emery felt that this hunt was going to be different. While surveying the photos Carswell posted on Facebook, Emery noticed a one-of-a-kind buck Carswell named “Slingshot.” He had a mature body, but what was most impressive was that the buck had only four points. “Last…

rock the rut it’s not too late!

The premise is simple: Buck-to-doe ratios are so woefully out of whack there’s no way all the does can be bred during peak breeding. It’s also understood that does not impregnated cycle back into estrus 23 to 30 days later. So if you wait the number of days in the does’ cycle past peek breeding, you’ve nailed the timing for the second rut. That apparently provides hunters with a basic grasp of math a tremendous advantage. After all, because at least some does were bred the first go-around, there should be about the same number of bucks chasing fewer does. Therefore, bucks must search harder to find does and fight off even more bucks to win the right to breed. At first glance, that seems logical. In fact, it sounds like a…