Author: dan.schmidt

What a rain-soaked weekend. Despite the weather, I just had to sit in a tree stand yesterday evening. I guess I just needed that fix of autumn air … the dank aromas of the woods and the bone-chilling aftereffects of staying outside for a few hours. Saw and passed on one buck. Came home to Tracy’s hot venison stew and fresh corn muffins. No, it doesn’t get any better than that.

Question of the day comes from Tom Thompson: "I am seeing more and more spikes each year. Does this signal a genetic condition? Do these bucks need to be taken out? Will they ever grow up to be decent bucks?"

Thanks for the note, Tom. The short answers to your three questions: Not likely; no, and yes. Let me elaborate…

A preponderance of spikes in the herd usually signals something other genetics. Namely, it is often an indicator of poor habitat, high deer densities and/or a skewed buck-to-doe ratio. The best thing you can do is let these bucks walk and concentrate on improving the habitat. If your area has a high deer density (typically anything above 35 deer per square mile), then you should concentrate on doe hunting. We have run many article in Deer & Deer Hunting over the years that have documented cases where spike bucks eventually grew up to be record-class whitetails. Genetics is in the blood. For a buck, this does not manifest until the deer reaches maturity.

In other words, you won’t know what he will be until he’s 3 or 4 years old. For more on the wonders of antlers, check out this special bundle.

There is nothing quite as exciting as hunting new ground in a new environment. Whether it is an out-of-state hunt or merely a hunt on the other side of your home state, the option of hiring an outfitter is becoming increasingly popular and more affordable.

Let’s face it, land and lease prices are really skyrocketing. It has made it increasingly difficult for many hunters to realize the dream of chasing mature bucks. One thing that I’ve noticed as of late is the trend of many hunters shunning the idea of paying thousands of dollars for a small lease near home — that is usually surrounded by heavy hunting pressure — and instead opting to spend as much or less on an outfitted hunt.

If you do your homework and are willing to be mobile, it is very possible to take one, two or even three outfitted hunts annually for what it would cost to lease land, plant food plots, buy stands, etc. Of course, there are some pitfalls. One of the bigger ones is not knowing what to expect when you show up in camp. A common mistake that I see people make is that they show up in camp expecting to kill a deer immediately, or they sit in a stand, don’t see deer, and then start second-guessing their guide.

I just returned from a trip to Minnesota where we hunted with Pat Gafney of RAM Outfitters. In all of the years I’ve been working at D&DH, I must say he is one of the better whitetail deer hunting guides I’ve met, because his approach is unique and very hands-off. In a nutshell, Pat strives to book hunters who don’t need a lot of baby-sitting when they’re in camp. His main goal is to provide hunters with premium-quality land teeming with mature bucks. He also makes it a point to have multiple stand sites available on each property, which allows hunters the option of moving spots if wind conditions change throughout the day. That’s it. No posh lodge (we stayed in a hotel), or curbside pickup at the tree stand. Just good land — really good land — a few food plots and easy-to-find stand locations.

If you’re thinking about booking an outfitted hunt, consider these additional keys before booking a trip:

1. A low-impact approach is crucial. Find out how many hunters are roaming the land. If the outfitter is running a dozen guys across the property week in and week out, you can pretty much guess how pressured those deer have become.

"Our strategy is simple," Gafney said. "We minimize hunting pressure. Many of these deer live to full maturity without ever having been shot at — or even seen — by a hunter. That’s the kind of low-impact approach you need to have a reasonable chance at seeing these deer during daylight."

2. Size matters. Well, it does when it comes to the amount of land an outfitter controls. Is it contiguous? If it isn’t, what’s the situation on the neighboring properties? In that regard, this might be a lot like hunting at home.

3. Dream big, but not too big. Don’t let your excitement run rampant with thoughts that you’ll kill a Booner just because you paid $2,500 for a hunt. Those deer certainly do exist on many outfitted properties, but a mature buck is still a mature buck. The outfitter who tells you the truth — and proves it with photos — is the kind of guy you want to do business with. You’re paying for the experience and the opportunity to possibly see a mature buck. You are not paying to shoot a fish in a barrel, so to speak.

A final tip: The best outfitters are a lot like the best carpenters, drywallers, masons and electricians. If they’re doing their job right, they will have plenty of references. Don’t be afraid to call those references and learn more about the quality of their work.

We might all be consumed with thoughts about the upcoming rut, but did you ever stop and wonder why, when and how bucks maintain their incredible headgear? If you do, you’re a lot like me … a true whitetail geek!

One of the things that has always fascinated me about giant whitetails is how they can break their antlers in fights. I simply cannot imagine what type of force is involved to sheer off an antler. Another topic of equal interest is how individual bucks grow their crowns, and what factors come into play concerning physiology and biology.

According to my friend Matt Harper, inadequate dietary mineral levels result in lowered mineral density, which affects antler density. This causes a chain reaction in antler growth. Matt is the nutrition editor for Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine.

"Antlers are secondary sex characteristics, meaning that primary functions such as body maintenance will take precedence over antler growth," Matt said. "A buck that has lost body condition over the winter will use the nutrients it consumes in his diet to replenish body condition before the nutrients are used for antler growth. In other words, a buck’s body will not sacrifice skeletal health for increased antler growth and density."

No, I didn’t shoot this little spike buck. But the thrill of having him pass by my blind at just 3 yards was enough to send my adrenaline into ultra-high gear. In fact, "shooting" this photo brought the same excitement as I’ve felt after putting an arrow through a fully mature whitetail deer.

 Indeed, any whitetail buck is a good buck to get you primed, stoked, jacked, excited — call it what you will — to keep heading back to the tree stand or ground blind day after day. It doesn’t have to be the biggest deer. It only has to be a deer.

And that’s what it is all about, isn’t it?

Question of the day comes from a Facebook friend who has been tracking a big whitetail for several seasons. He asked that I not use his name, to protect his deer hunting honey hole.

"Dan, just how big is a buck’s core area? Do I stand a reasonable chance of arrowing a deer I just caught on camera during the rut?"

This is a question I get asked a lot. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, but there is a general rule of thumb that will suffice for most deer hunting areas in North America.

My initial answer is a qualified, "yes." There is a chance. It all depends, however, on a few other criteria: hunting pressure, available food sources and the buck-to-doe ratio of that area. Hunting pressure won’t change a core area, but it will change how they use it and when they use it. The more pressure that is out there, the more nocturnal a buck will become.

The important point to remember is this: When you’re chasing a mature buck, you need to understand that his home range is going to be about 640 acres (a square mile) during all times outside the rut. During the rut, he could be roaming as much as 5,000 acres. His core area is going to be his safety zone. That could be 40 acres, or 200 acres … it all depends on the food, water and protective cover. That’s the important point. Now, here is the crucial point: when thinking in terms of a home range or core area, you need to get out of the trap of thinking in contiguous blocks of land. Just because you own a nice, neat 400-acre rectangle doesn’t mean a buck is going to call that his home range. It could be part of his home range. The same thing goes for a core area. It has to be the best of the best. So, his living quarter could look like a long skinny finger, a triangle, links of a chain, or even a combination of all the above, and then some.

The best way to identify a buck’s core area is through good, old-fashioned scouting and careful study of a topo map. Do this, and the light bulb will eventually pop on and stay on … and you will eventually start filling more tags.

Want to learn better ways to map trophy bucks? Check out this great resource from Deer & Deer Hunting.

As seen in this week’s episode of Deer & Deer Hunting TV on Versus, whitetail oddities run in all sorts of shapes and sizes. One of the most common questions I’ve received over the years centers on whitetail bucks that have one goofy-looking antler and one "normal" antler.

Many things can cause a giant buck to grow weird antlers, but injuries more often than not are the culprit. There is strong evidence that an injury to a velvet pedicle will cause the deer to grow an abnormal antler on the other side of its head. This is known in the scientific world as the "contralateral effect."

What essentially happens here is that the buck’s internal chemistry takes over and redirects that energy to other parts of the deer. This is believed to be a survival mechanism. Many times, bucks exhibiting this antler effect will be much larger in the body. That was the case with the buck pictured above. I shot this 4-1/2-year-old buck about 10 years ago, and his is still the heaviest whitetail I have ever killed. He weighed 284 pounds on the hoof. His antler configuration was a clean 5-point side and a 21-inch beam with only a brow tine on the other side. When I skinned this buck, I learned that his right hind leg had suffered a serious wound. Encased in a cyst in that leg was a fist-sized ball of scar tissue. This injury undoubtedly led to the contralateral effect on that opposite antler. Think about this the next time you field dress a deer that might have a similar rack. You just might find the reason behind his antler configuration.

I should note that our Deer & Deer Huntingfield editors believe the contralateral effect isn’t necessarily a permanent condition. For example, Charles Alsheimer has told me that he has seen several deer recover from this condition and grow normal racks in subsequent years. This, he said, is usually dictated by the extent of the injury.

It is a rare event when a hunter can encounter a buck still wearing its velvet crown. Notice how I say rare … not impossible. Although we’ve popularized a lot of scientific research on the whitetail’s shedding process over the years, there’s still a lot that researchers don’t know about whitetail antlers.

One thing that is known is that every deer is different. In many places, the biggest deer will peel their velvet first. This happens because testosterone levels start to rise in July and August; triggering the calcification process. Peeling will begin when blood flow to the spongy, growing antlers ceases. You can tell if there are a number of mature deer on your property if you are finding fresh rubs in September and early October. These are usually the telltale signs of a mature buck’s core home range.

Can’t get enough of huge deer? Check out this antler addiction special.

From today’s mailbox: 

First and foremost, congrats on getting the drop on such a fine buck, Jimmy. This deer has all the makings of a true wallhanger. The fact that you’ve been watching him for so long is what’s most important in my book — after all, that is the true measure of a trophy: the memories attached to the deer.

But to answer your questions, I would estimate this buck at about 3-1/2 years old. He could be 4-1/2. It’s hard to tell once they hit maturity. A good indication is tine length and mass, but better indications are his body features. He is blocky and well built. And, the fact that you just got this photo (without the full autumn coat grown in yet) indicates he is definitely mature. He does not show the sleek signs of a younger deer.

A quick glance at his antlers indicates he is at least 120 inches — and could possibly net the magical 125 if those tines are a tad longer than my initial guesses of 4 inch brow tines; 8 inch G-2s; 6-inch G-3s, 21-inch beams and 15 inches of mass. Add in a 17-inch spread, and that would be 125 on the nose. However, I’ve tended to notice that my initial guesses are usually a little on the heavy side. But no matter how you slice it, this whitetail buck is one that any hunter should be proud to put his tag on.