Dan Schmidt walks you through how to build your own deer hunting arrows in 17 steps.
Tag: dan schmidt’s whitetail wisdom
Old Does May Be the Smartest Deer in the Woods
We all love big bucks because they certainly are smart, crafty and majestic. But truth be told, they have nothing on wise, old does. Hunting them is tough.
Whitetail Wisdom: CWD, Monkeys & Eating Venison
Will a Canadian study about the effects of chronic wasting disease affect how hunters view whitetail deer hunting and eating deer meat?
Whitetail Wisdom: Invest in Patience to Ensure the Best Recovery
Whitetail Wisdom blog post for this week: They say the best-laid plans often go awry. Hey, it happens, and usually when we least expect it. The same holds true in deer hunting when our shot misses its mark and (gasp) hits the deer a bit farther back than expected. It’s known as the dreaded “gut […]
Top Tips, Strategies for Using Doe Bleats to Kill Bucks
There are many ways to outsmart a whitetail, and I would like to think that I’ve employed most of them over the years. Although I’ve seen some innovative tactics work like charms, I would have never imagined that boredom would lead to three of my most memorable filled tags in 2007. That’s right, it all started […]
The 7 Habits of Happy Deer Hunters
Who are the happiest deer hunters you know? Are they the ones who fill their freezers every year? Are they the ones who have a wall filled with trophy-class bucks? Or are they the guys and gals who own hundreds of acres of prime ground of which they patrol militantly in search of trespassing neighbors […]
When a Deer Snorts, It’s All Over
Sigh. Yep, it happens to everyone. When a deer sees you in your stand then blows at you — the jig is up. Here’s a short video clip of a mature doe and her fawn ambling by my stand on opening day of Wyoming’s archery season a few years ago. I forgot I had this […]
Three Cheers for Orange Therapy
Some of my fondest childhood memories — and best life lessons — came from Mom’s clothesline and the loving care she put into tending it. The lessons were many, and they all revolved around hard work. You see, I was one of seven kids, and we all had to pitch in around the house. No iPods, […]
How to Make a Deer Mineral Site
Don’t put it off anymore: Now is the perfect time to establish deer mineral licks on your hunting property. Few things are more rewarding to hunters and landowners than creating something beneficial for wildlife, and that includes adding mineral licks to your property. Minerals are necessary for whitetail deer health. Along with normal bodily […]
Lumpy Jaw is a Common Oddity Among Deer
Each year, the Deer & Deer Hunting editorial offices receive hundreds of inquiries from hunters who have shot wild, weird and downright wacky-looking whitetails. And, in all of the years that I’ve helped answer your questions, I’ve seen dozens of photos of deer with a condition biologists call “lumpy jaw.” I had never seen this malady up close until I shot this doe with my muzzleloader in Missouri.
According to our state agency contacts in Maryland, this condition actually starts off as a viral infection. The MDNR reports, “The adult arterial nematode worm lives primarily in the deer’s carotid arteries. High worm infestations reduce blood flow, which causes partial paralysis of the deer’s jaw muscles. Food becomes impacted inside the deer’s mouth due to the jaw muscle paralysis. The food impaction causes the “lumpy jaw” appearance. The common horsefly passes the nematode larvae from an infected deer to an uninfected one by feeding on deer blood. Infection rates are not high enough to impact deer populations and no human health implication has been reported.”
Word of caution: Deer that have “lumpy jaw” emit an incredibly foul odor from their mouths. In other words, don’t spend too much time photographing at close range like I did. Gag reflex, big time.