Avalanche Mini Crossbow Tactical Pistol 50-lb

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There on the classic knotty pine wall above the fieldstone fireplace in what can only be described as the ultimate all American deercamp log cabin, deep in the mystical big timber of Michigan’s Manistee National Forest, hangs the most magnificent whitetail beast a deerhunter could ever dream of.

By Ted Nugent

And I know deerhunting dreams. Mine have saturated my life for my entire 65 years, and there is no escaping these special life-enhancing fantasies that drive our unique segment of humankind: deerhunters.

I also know such dreams are as personal and subjective to each individual as anything life has to offer, but I have a very strong feeling that my simple deerhunting dreams are shared by more deerhunters across the land than any assorted variations thereof.

I understand the historical, even mythical fascination with huge antlered stags. I get it. This fascination is Pragmatism 101 in its origins, and began early on in our species existence, far removed from anything that would develop into record books or trophy considerations.

The hieroglyphics on cave walls do indeed tell a story of original man, and the do-or-die relationship with the spiritual beasts that provided food, shelter, clothing, tools, weapons, medicine and spirituality to our caveman ancestors.

Our hunting heritage leaves no room for conjecture, for the large antlered creatures painstakingly depicted in these ancient storybooks tells the story of our admiration, respect and powerful relationship with the creatures that kept us alive.

Just How Much Do You Know About Whitetail Behavior? Why Not Find Out?

It was afterall, the baddest MoFo hunter in the clan who consistently brought home the most and biggest critters to sustain the village. I suppose the first example of quality deer management came about by those select souls who specialized in killing game, who came to the realization that the biggest, oldest, largest horned and antlered beasts were also the smartest, most elusive and challenging animals to kill. Game on.

I am confident that the creation of village hierarchy was determined by which hunter was the most successful, thereby drawing the most admiration, leadership position, and dare I say, breeding rights. Like the dominant stag of the herd, the bravest, strongest, smartest, most capable man would establish genetic superiority; hence, survival of the fittest. (killer rock record, by the way).

Regardless of the silly nonsense that we are all created equal when clearly every person is unique, uniquely capable of special talents and individually driven to one-of-a-kind effort and levels of accomplishment (wow, getting pretty deep for a deerhunting article here) “to each his own” is the ultimate declaration of independence and pursuit of individual happiness where freedom reigns supreme.

So, Back to That Deer Head

Which brings me to the deer head on my old Nugent family cabin wall. This stunning embodiment of my deerhunting life has no antlers. It is a fat, butterball whitetail buttonbuck, a nubbin buck, a fawn, with barely visible little velvet nobs atop his six-month-old skull, mounted regally by the taxidermist way back in 1969 who couldn’t believe I was willing to pay to have a fawn mounted.

But I was, and it is important to note, that right next to this little deer is another little deer, also sans antlers. This yearling doe was my first bowkilled whitetail I arrowed with my Bear recurve and a MicroFlight glass arrow tipped with a Bear Razorhead, in October 1972.

The little buttonbuck was my very first deerkill ever, on that long ago opening morning, with my dad’s pre-64 Winchester Model 70 .308.

What these two deer lack in the antler department is virtually negated by the earth-shattering memories of finally putting it all together and, finally punching tags on my beloved whitetail dreams.

Which brings me to the essence of this article; giving my opinion on Quality Deer Management and mandatory antler restrictions.

About Those Antler Restrictions

I am all for “quality” deer management, a concept which can differ substantially from what is officially known as “Quality Deer Management” in many circles.

Both issues can be summed up singularly for most of us, and that is that we want the healthiest, quality deer herds the land can support, but antler restrictions should always be left up to the individual hunter.

When examined honestly, many of the mandatory antler restrictions in place here and there today have absolutely nothing to do with the age of a buck. In some parts of Texas, the original laboratory of QDM and age-based herd manipulation, a legal width or number of points oftentimes is counterintuitive to harvesting older deer.

For example, when the legal width is mandated at 13 inches, I assure you that many older class bucks under 13 inches that should be harvested will die of old age, while a 1.5-year-old 15-inch buck can be killed and surely should not be.

Same with point restrictions. The number of points on a rack rarely has anything to do with the buck’s age. More often than not, if higher scoring, larger antlered older bucks are the goal, the wrong deer are killed and the wrong deer are passed on.

What I Believe

I believe there should be no mandatory antler restrictions, but rather, like has been proven in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, and by contiguous landowner agreements across America, the big push should be on learning to age deer on the hoof according to body configuration, not antlers.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and one man’s trophy is another man’s backstrapper. We should strongly encourage letting those young bucks walk, but we should never dictate to our fellow hunters what determines the desirability of one deer over another.

Meanwhile, I will toast my trophy buttonbuck and that little doe every season forevermore. We don’t kill buttonbucks on our properties anymore, but I wouldn’t want it to be against the law.

More Cameras Means More Information About Your Deer! Get Some Now!

Want more from Ted, including his 2014 concert tour schedule? Find out what’s happening in the Nuge’s world at his website, www.tednugent.com

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DeerDeerHunting/~3/1Jn4cwp2GD0/horns-plenty-amid-antler-wars

These trenching shovels are great for emergencies, camping, and gardening alike. These shovels fold to a fraction of their extended length for easy storage. With the included carrying case, you’ll never have to be without a shovel.

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Patented 3-reed design is “pure duck” with a little extra kick—it easily replicates the quack, feed call and hail call of a mallard hen. This unique system replicates these sounds more easily, due to the different combination of reed material stacked together. The result is a pure duck sound with a little extra kick and a system that is easy to clean, tune and operate.

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This electrical hunting themed cover plate has a hand painted poly resin design with amazing detail. The perfect décor enhancement with a design to suit just about any outdoor enthusiast’s taste.

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Elite Forces Survival Bowie Knife and ABS lined Tactical Sheath

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None of the dreaded chronic wasting disease has been found in Arkansas’s deer herd.

That’s the bottom line of a report from the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory which did extensive analyses for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission on a set of samples submitted during the 2013 sampling period.

Chronic wasting disease is a neurological malady with no cure. It is always fatal in deer and elk, pathologists say. CWD has taken heavy tolls on deer in a number of other states but has not appeared in Arkansas.

Cory Gray, deer program coordinator for the AGFC, said, “This report is really good news for us. Some people may not understand why we have strict regulations concerning the importation of live cervids and certain parts of carcasses into Arkansas from other states, but our intent is to maintain a healthy, disease free deer herd.”

The deer tested were from animals taken by hunters, inside captive enclosures, sick or emaciated, and from deer-vehicle collisions. These deer came from all parts of Arkansas.

The Wisconsin veterinary lab is a division of the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The lab tested the obex, or brain stem, and lymph nodes from the submitted samples.

“We had another good season for deer hunting in Arkansas and came close to matching the previous year’s all-time record,” Gray said. “But this report of no CWD is even more satisfying to us as deer managers. Other positive aspect is the cooperation we are getting from hunters in our campaign to keep out CWD. Biologists and hunters have a common interest – a healthy, productive, sustainable deer herd.”

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DeerDeerHunting/~3/6MXoGDu_LYE/cwd-discovered-widespread-testing

Michigan’s new Deer Private Land Assistance Network grant program, known as Deer PLAN, will begin taking applications April 1.

The Deer PLAN, funded by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fish and Game Fund, is designed to support private-land deer habitat improvement projects in the northern Lower Peninsula.

“There are two primary goals applicants should strive to meet,” said DNR wildlife biologist Brian Piccolo. “The projects should produce tangible deer habitat improvements and build long-term partnerships between the DNR and sportsmen’s clubs.”

For 2014, $50,000 will be available, focused on the following counties: Alcona, Alpena, Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle. Funds will be allocated across these six counties based on a competitive grant application scoring process.

“A focus area will concentrate habitat projects in a particular region, and in doing so will provide greater benefits to deer populations in areas where we have identified habitat issues,” said DNR Deer Program biologist Ashley Autenrieth.

Application amounts must be between $2,000 and $10,000 and the grant recipient is required to provide 25 percent of the total grant amount. Projects can take place on private land, Commercial Forest Act land or other non-state-owned land.

Project applications are due by May 14. Successful applicants will be notified by May 30.

The complete grant application package is available online at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants by following the Deer PLAN link under Wildlife Habitat Management near the bottom of the page.

The Deer PLAN grant program is made possible by Michigan’s new hunting and fishing license structure.

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IMPROVE YOUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MINERAL SITES NOW!
Creating a great, effective mineral site for your deer involves more than just dumping a bag of something on the ground and walking away.

Do you know the difference between a mineral lick and a mineral supplement? Or what five minerals are the most important for herd health?

Find out how to make the most of your mineral sites with this outstanding download from D&DH Field Editor Matt Harper, “The Complete Guide to Mineral Sites Online Course.” In it, Harper spills some of his best secrets on how you can do more with your mineral sites for long- and short-term mineral management. Check it out here now.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DeerDeerHunting/~3/qdouNf2jrMQ/deer-management-assistance-plan-gets-started

Neoprene Scope Cover protects scopes in transit and is reversible to black. Large size.

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The Woodland Chair sits low to the ground to keep you hidden and relaxed while you’re waiting for the next turkey to sneak through the field. The attractive Realtree Xtra HD fabric will be sure to keep you under the radar and the sturdy powder coated steel frame will be durable and supportive so the chair can make the trip with you time and time again. When it’s time to head back home from your day in the outdoors, the Woodland Chair quickly folds flat for easy transporting and storage.

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