ThinkingAfield.org

The leading reason many individuals participate in deer hunting is simply the opportunity to spend time outdoors with friends and family, but harvesting a deer is important to many deer hunters as well. No amount of hunting guarantees a harvest; however, preparation and hard work are keys to producing the best opportunity to see and take deer, or to mentor a new hunter through a safe and enjoyable season. The 2016 deer season is expected to be a successful year for many hunters.

Persistence can pay off for deer hunters. Nationwide, successful deer hunters hunt an average of 18 days – slightly more than the average of about 14 days that Michigan deer hunters spent afield last year. Chances for success are greatest for those who are prepared. Part of hunting preparations each year includes becoming familiar with the most recent regulations. The DNR deer website provides highlights of regulation changes, information about deer management and links to additional resources, such as deer check station locations. Please refer to the 2016 Hunting and Trapping Digest and Antlerless Digest, which are available online and at DNR Customer Service Centers and license agents, for a map of all Deer Management Units (DMUs) and other regulation details.

Some successful hunting trips are just a result of being in the right place at the right time. Overall, deer activity tends to be highest a few weeks prior to breeding. The peak of breeding activity for Michigan deer generally occurs just prior to the opening of the firearm deer season. These peak breeding dates are earliest in the southern Lower Peninsula (LP), except that many does in the region that were born just this spring will already conceive their first fawns this year. Those breeding events for young does often occur a month or more later than they do for older deer, often not until mid-December. Hunters often seek to take advantage of these times of high deer movements, so archery hunting activity is often highest in late October and early November, followed by the busiest deer hunting day of the year – the opening of the firearm season. In southern Michigan, another late period of deer activity can occur several weeks prior to the late breeding events among young does, which can coincide with the end of the firearm season.

More sage advice from Sporting Classics’ shotguns columnist Robert Matthews

Not all shotshells are created equal. Shoot wisely this dove season. (Photo:

A couple weeks ago I passed out a few tips that I thought might be helpful for guys heading into the dove season. Now the opener has come and gone. I’ve been out several times, but the season is still in and a few other things came to me that I wanted to pass on. Watching the boys pop away at ’em reminded me of a few things that I didn’t mention last time.

First of all, use the best shell that you can afford. Many shell manufacturers offer cheap loads at this time of year in an effort to get you to buy more. The problem with these loads is that they contain soft shot (which is cheaper than hard shot) and it doesn’t pattern as well as the better shot. A lot of those “misses” and “feathered” birds that you’re getting are really well-hit birds. They end up as fox food because of sparse, irregular patterns.

I don’t mean to imply that you need high-brass shells or a stiffer charge. The issue isn’t power—it’s consistency. Read more