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I hope that my meditations on natural resources will offer an escape for hunters pushing back against some modern trends in deer hunting.
— Jacob Edson, D&DH managing editor
Subscribe to the The Ethical Hunter RSS feed
I hope that my meditations on natural resources will offer an escape for hunters pushing back against some modern trends in deer hunting.
— Jacob Edson, D&DH managing editor
Updated: Think pythons can’t kill an adult whitetail? Check out THIS exclusive gallery provided by Everglades biologist Skip Snow. Also, I contacted noted herpetoligst (snake and amphibian scientist) Gary Casper, to get his take on the possibility of Burmese pythons having an actual detrimental effect on large mammal populations. Casper said that if python numbers […]
It’s no secret that women hunters are one of the fastest growing demographics in our sport. It also seems to be true that hunting is beginning to shed some of its redneck stereotypes thanks in large part to mainstreaming in popular culture, but also partly thanks to this female influence. As hunters, we already know […]
Following last month’s announcement that gray wolves will return to state management in the northern Great Lakes on Jan. 27, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced today that a limited gray wolf hunting and trapping season is being planned for late 2012. This is a hot-button topic for deer hunters, wildlife enthusiasts and wildlife managers alike. However, it appears […]
by Jacob Edson, D&DH managing editor I do not argue the fact that some venison needs a little help. For those of you who find yourselves in this situation with your venison recipes, first remove every bit of non-muscle fiber from your cuts. Then try Chatellier’s Rare Game Sauce: I was recently turned on to […]
In this down economy, with millions out of work, more and more families are relying on donated venison from food pantries and kitchens.
Thousands of hunters across the nation participate in these programs. However, some food pantries are finding that hunters’ donations can’t keep up with demand. Some, such as the Hunt for the Hungry Program in Green Bay, Wis., are making public requests for donations.
From the Green Bay Press Gazette: The Hunt for the Hungry program is on pace this hunting season to surpass previous totals of donated deer, but organizers say the economy still is hampering donations. (Full Story)
This year, think about filling an extra tag for those in need. It’s certainly one amazing way we can spread some Holiday cheer.
You asked for it: We’re doing it!
For years, D&DH readers have been pushing back against the trophy trend on today’s hunting shows and have asked us to show "real life" hunting scenarios on TV. While big antlers are beautiful and day-dreamy, viewers would like to see the real side of deer hunting in America.
Well, coming for 2012, we’re doing just that. Beginning next summer, we will be unveiling a new television show (don’t worry DDH TV fans, it’s in addition to our renowned D&DH show, not replacing it) that focuses on how every day Americans hunt whitetails across this great land.
We’re currently filming across the country, capturing all the ways deer hunters chase their quarry — from public land in some of the most hard-hunted states, to urban bow hunts, to over-looked spots like the beaches of Florida.
However, we’d also like feedback from you.
Where would you like to see us hunt?
Do you know of any off-the-wall locations that don’t get their fair play on TV?
Remember, no deer is too small. We just want to see how America hunts deer in all its unique forms.
You asked for it: We’re doing it!
For years, D&DH readers have been pushing back against the trophy trend on today’s hunting shows and have asked us to show "real life" hunting scenarios on TV. While big antlers are beautiful and day-dreamy, viewers would like to see the real side of deer hunting in America.
Well, coming for 2012, we’re doing just that. Beginning next summer, we will be unveiling a new television show (don’t worry DDH TV fans, it’s in addition to our renowned D&DH show, not replacing it) that focuses on how every day Americans hunt whitetails across this great land.
We’re currently filming across the country, capturing all the ways deer hunters chase their quarry — from public land in some of the most hard-hunted states, to urban bow hunts, to over-looked spots like the beaches of Florida.
However, we’d also like feedback from you.
Where would you like to see us hunt?
Do you know of any off-the-wall locations that don’t get their fair play on TV?
Remember, no deer is too small. We just want to see how America hunts deer in all its unique forms.
The first tenant of ethical hunting is to do everything in your power to make a quick, lethal shot. At Deer & Deer Hunting, we pride ourselves in being the No. 1 leading resource for hunters to learn about shot placement and whitetail anatomy. (See our ground-breaking Shot Simulator app.)
Next is your responsibility to recover your game. We’ve also covered
blood trailing and finding 
your deer to the nth degree. In fact, this week’s
show (airing Saturday morning on Versus) really delves into the subject, and we are now offering a master resource for hunters who want all of our tracking and trailing information in one place. It’s called Blood-Trailing Whitetails, and it’s available now on shopdeerhunting.com.
But even the best tracker’s can use a little help sometimes … especially in warm weather or in areas loaded with coyotes.
This is where blood-trailing dogs come in. Blood-trailing dogs have been legal in most Southern states forever. However many Northern states outlawed blood-trailing dogs in the late 1800s. Today, that trend is reversing. In the past 25 years, 15 states have legalized the use of blood-trailing dogs for the recovery of big game.
A few years ago, Wisconsin legalized blood-trailing dogs, provided they are leashed. I have personally witnessed dogs finding deer when the blood trail seemed to dry up. (Although the leash provision can be a hindrance to the dogs’ performance, as human companions often lead the dogs astray.)
These animals are invaluable resources for ethical hunters. Yet, as many as 16 states ban there use. This is a subject few non-hunters have heard about, and many current hunters barely think about. Why are these valuable tools being withheld? Perhaps its time for hunters to speak up. There’s no shame in asking for help in finding your game. Whitetails are incredibly resilient and a "dead-on-its-feet" deer can go a long way. Lets do everything we can to recover that animal.
For more information on blood-trailing dogs and a resource for getting legislation started in your state visit www.unitedbloodtrackers.org.
Generally speaking, deer managers in the North have it rough compared to their Southern counterparts simply because of the major differences in season structure. States such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania have rather short gun seasons — the "big stick" of deer management. Whereas in the South (Alabama, Mississippi and Florida for example), gun seasons can stretch for months.
If warm weather, fog, rain or a delayed rut interfere with these short Northern gun seasons, the overall harvest can take a major hit. However, if these gun seasons coincide with perfect conditions for deer movement and hunter effort, record harvests can ensue.
In the South, long seasons are needed simply because the weather and rut are less predictable. This is helpful for Southern deer managers because their harvests are often more closely a result of populations that extenuating circumstances.
By the same token, a long, unpredictable season can be frustrating for some Southern hunters.
Of course, Deer & Deer Hunting can help Southern hunters take some of that frustration out of their season. We have just produced a Southern Rut Guide that offers some great tips for increasing your personal harvest during a long Southern season. To check it out, follow this link and save 17 percent.
Alaskan Congressman Don Young has introduced a bill — H.R. 3142, The Wild Game Donation Act — that would make hunters who donate meat to food-based charities eligible for a tax deduction for the processing cost of the game. Additionally, the legislation would provide a tax credit for processors who take part in this program. Of course, it requires that all animals are killed in accordance with state and local laws and by the individual making the charitable contribution.
This bill might be a tough sell during the current political climate, but Young has stated he believes the measure will eventually pass.
What’s your take? Do you think its a good idea, or would you prefer Washington stay out of the meat-donation arena?