The Alpha Buck

This story begins about a year and a half ago when my wife and purchased a little piece of land not far from the center of Alpharetta, Georgia. Since then, I’ve continued to run trail cams on the property and seen nothing but does; honestly, it’s kind of crazy that not even one small buck has shown up in over a year. In early December, that all changed.

On Wednesday, December 4, an absolute bruiser that I now called the Alpha Buck decided to grace us with his presence. He showed up at midnight in my upper field and then daylighted at 7:15 a.m. that next morning. Naturally, the daylight photos instantly got me fired up… but what really got me going was when my security camera caught him walking down the driveway at noon. I knew then it was on.

That evening, I went over to the property for an afternoon sit. It’s now 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 5, and like clockwork he came right in to feed. I smoked him at 30 yards. Broadside, full pass through, a tad back and a little high but surely a fatal shot. Well… This is where the story gets interesting.

Knowing I made solid contact, I backed out and gave the deer a few hours. Read more

Save the date: Deer donation drive at Knutson’s

• Take part in our upcoming deer donation drive in Jackson County, Jan. 4 and 5 at Knutson’s Sporting Goods in Brooklyn.
• We’ll be taking deer donations for the Hunters Feeding Michigan program. All donated venison will be distributed to Michigan food pantries.
• The deer donation drive takes place during the new extended late antlerless firearm deer hunting season, Jan. 2-12 in the southern part of the Lower Peninsula. A discounted antlerless license for this extended hunting season is available for $5 per license, or you can use any unused deer tags you already have.

Late antlerless firearm deer season

• Now through Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, on public and private lands ONLY in the Lower Peninsula.
• See page 9 of the Deer Hunting Regulations Summary for a map of open deer management units.
• During this season, a hunter may harvest an antlerless deer with an unused single deer license (including the license issued through the Mentored Hunting Program), deer combo license (regular and/or restricted tags), universal antlerless license or deer management assistance permit if issued for the area/land where hunting.

Archery deer season (late segment)

• Now through Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, statewide on public and private land.
• Changes to antlerless harvest have occurred in the Upper Peninsula. Antlerless hunting with archery equipment on the single deer license and deer combo license is prohibited after Dec. 10 for units 027, 036, 152, 252, 021, 349, 249, 017, 117 and 149 (mid-snowfall zone). Antlered hunting with archery equipment can continue through Jan. 1 in these units.
• See page 14 of the Deer Hunting Regulations Summary for the Upper Peninsula antler point restrictions chart.

Harvest reporting

• Deer hunters are required to report a successful harvest within 72 hours or before transferring possession of the deer (to another person, a processer or taxidermist).
• Reporting your harvest takes about three minutes and provides critical information for managing Michigan’s deer herd.

Report your harvest or see the reported harvest totals in real time at Michigan.gov/HarvestReporting.

Late antlerless firearm deer season

• Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, through Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, on public and private lands ONLY in the Lower Peninsula.
• See page 9 of the Deer Hunting Regulations Summary for a map of open deer management units.
• During this season, a hunter may harvest an antlerless deer with an unused single deer license (including the license issued through the Mentored Hunting Program), deer combo license (regular and/or restricted tags), universal antlerless license or deer management assistance permit if issued for the area/land where hunting.

Archery deer season (late segment)

• Now through Jan. 1, 2025, statewide on public and private land.
• Changes to antlerless harvest have occurred in the Upper Peninsula. Antlerless hunting with archery equipment on the single deer license and deer combo license is prohibited after Dec. 10 for units 027, 036, 152, 252, 021, 349, 249, 017, 117 and 149. Antlered hunting with archery equipment can continue through Jan. 1 in these units. See page 14 of the Deer Hunting Regulations Summary for the Upper Peninsula antler point restrictions chart.

Harvest reporting

• • Deer hunters are required to report a successful harvest within 72 hours or before transferring possession of the deer (to another person, a processer or taxidermist).
  • Reporting your harvest takes about three minutes and provides critical information for managing Michigan’s deer herd.

Read more

LANSING, MI – For the first time in at least a decade, fees associated with hunting, fishing and boating will most likely jump in Michigan.

Democrats are looking to shore up the state Department of Natural Resources’ budget in the weeks before the close of the hectic lame duck session when they lose their governing trifecta. They’re proposing increasing the cost of boat registration fees and hunting and fishing licenses — in some cases more than 50%.  More here…

In a nutshell, here are the proposed increases, which have already passed committee:

(3) The fee for a base license is as follows:

(a) Subject to subdivision (b), for a resident, $10.00 to$15.00.

(b) For a resident minor child or nonresident minor child, $5.00 to $8.00.

 (c) for a nonresident, $150.00 to $163.00.

Can’t wait for the Democrats ouster in the next session of the legislature…GW

HELENA – Hunters have until Dec. 22 to purchase lottery chances for a guided bison hunt on the Blackfeet Reservation. The drawing will be held on Dec. 23. The lottery is a way FWP partners with the Blackfeet Tribe to demonstrate a shared commitment to managing fish and wildlife across the state and to facilitate hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities.

The lottery is open to all hunters – tribal members, nonmembers, Montana residents and nonresidents. Chances are $10 each, and hunters can purchase up to 20 chances. At least 400 bison chances need to be sold or the winner pays $500. Successful hunters can keep the bison’s head, hide and meat.

To enter the drawing, go to fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply. Lottery opportunities can also be purchased at a license provider or an FWP office. For more information, contact the Blackfeet Fish and Game office at 406-338-7207.

Ohio hunters checked 87,192 white-tailed deer during the weeklong gun season that concluded on Sunday, Dec. 8, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. This is the highest total since 2011 (90,282). In 2023, hunters reported 70,103 deer during the seven-day gun season, and the three-year average is 70,806.

During the deer gun week, hunters checked 28,606 antlered deer (33% of the total reported) and 58,586 antlerless deer (67%). Antlerless deer includes does and button bucks.

The top 10 counties for deer taken during the gun season were: Read more