Joe Reynold’s hangs onto his hunting dog, Junior, as he tracks the blood of a Michigan Whitetail deer I had shot less than an hour before. A good fresh track made it an easy chore.

During these trying times, families’ needs for assistance is as great as ever. Food pantries across the nation are running desperately low on sustenance to aid those less fortunate. Whitetails Unlimited is a strong supporter of hunter donations to food pantries, and has been instrumental in both financing and expanding programs in many states. Some programs include Hunt for the Hungry, Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry, Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry, and Access Illinois Food Project.

“Many food pantries have a chronic shortage of food, and donations of venison can really help them out,” said WTU Program Services Director Russ Austad. “In many areas whitetail populations are very high, and additional deer tags are available. It makes sense both for wildlife conservation, as well as helping the community, for a hunter to harvest an extra deer for a local food pantry.” Read more

Grand Prize Includes Booger Bottom Hunt, Meeting with Bone Collector Host

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. –– Bushnell®, an industry leader in performance optics, is offering consumers a once in a lifetime opportunity – a chance to hunt with the Bone Collector “Brotherhood” on the notorious Booger Bottom property, all by entering the Banner Year Sweepstakes.

For a shot at the grand prize, go to www.bushnellbanneryear.com and signup. The grand prize includes:

• Three-day hunt for white-tailed deer on Bone Collector’s private land near Booger Bottom, Georgia (food, travel, lodging and hunt tags included)
• One-on-one meeting with a member of the Bone Collector crew: Michael Waddell, Nick Mundt or Travis “T-Bone” Turner
• Tour of Bone Collector headquarters

Read more

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

Michigan’s muzzleloading season began December 4 and runs one week shorter than previous years ending December 13. That means if you’d like to take a whitetail buck with a firearm – any legal firearm that can be used in regular firearms season – there is only a week left. While we are at it, how long will we call it muzzleloading season, when hardly anyone will choose the ol’ smokepoles anymore? Maybe it could be renamed extended firearms season or late firearms season. In any event, I thought if I were going to take a buck, opening day would be a good place to continue the quest.

First off, my final days of the regular season were encouraging, because of the sheer number of deer being seen and that they seemed to have become a bit more relaxed already. However, two adolescent bucks put on a show of strength right before my old eyes. It certainly wasn’t any genuine fight over a female; heck, the does paid no attention to them, as the young studs played tug of war in reverse. However, it was entertaining.

I also watched and visually measured up an 8-pointer who appeared in the final hour of daylight. Although within my self-prescribed range, he too was a young buck with a rack as wide as his ears but had the slender build of yearling (1.5 years old). So, with that I issued a renewed lease on his life and let him go about his business.

On opening day of “irregular” firearms season, I took a stand overlooking the show grounds of the earlier season, where the actors had a few days to prepare for their new presentation. I was not disappointed.

The action picked up as the sun sank, as always. The first animals to appear on stage wore no headgear – that is until closer inspection with my Burris binocular revealed some small bones protruding from one of the skulls. One by one they continued to filter into the legume spread.

Before long, several other bucks decided to join in the fun, but they were more intent on proving a point (so to speak) to male competitors than to fill their stomachs. One of them simply waltzed near another nearby trouble maker and they agreed to begin their show of strength – but, they did so carefully so as not to hurt themselves. Back and forth, heads down low, they pushed and shoved their way to a draw. Seconds later, they joined the females as they dined on the lush clover and alfalfa afoot.  

Before the shift had finished, the quarreling bucks strolled off together enroute to a plot of turnips – not so much to feast but to cozy up to the does that were already there.

Michigan Bucks in Late Season

It’s always difficult, if not impossible to sneak off without disturbing the peace but an opening day with so much activity is nothing more than my invitation to be on the lookout for Mr. Big on another day.