Today at 12:00 CST Deer & Deer Hunting will premiere their first episode of “Deer Talk Now”, a one hour interactive online talk show hosted by Dan Schmidt and Brad Rucks of D&DH Magazine.

According to D&DH’s website,  ”Deer Talk Now will feature special guests, questions from viewers and discussions about new hunting gear, habitat, hunting tactics, deer biology, hunter ethics, issues and more”. All that being said, to kick things off today, Deer Talk Now will feature one heck of a special guest – Ted Nugent!

As we all know, a conversation with Ted Nugent always has the potential to get “interesting” – so I’ll definitely be tuning in to hear what The Nuge has to say. Also keep in mind, that this is interactive and all viewers have the opportunity to submit questions for the hosts and Ted! I’ve been told that viewers that submit questions will be put into a drawing for a number of different prizes as well, including this week – an autographed photo of Nugent.

To watch Deer Talk Now, follow the link below at 12:00 CST. Enjoy!

Watch Deer Talk Now

As much as I enjoy a good hunting video filled with big bucks hittin the ground, I also am a huge proponent of educational videos and I have just recently ran across a very good one that I just had to share with ya’ll. I recently received a copy of the new DVD from Deer & Deer Hunting, entitled Whitetail Behavior and as is usual with content coming from D & DH, I was impressed. I’m continually impressed with the D & DH staff”s commitment to researching and sharing the most in-depth and interesting information about whitetails. This DVD certainly lives up to that billing. As I watched this video with my father, I couldn’t help but think that it was perfect timing. All this past fall I’ve been preaching scent control to my father and he would reluctantly take a few steps in the right direction. But as the Whitetail Behavior DVD began rolling with some great footage and information about deer’s sense of smell, I knew my instructions were finally hitting home. Now I just need to get the rest of my hunting camp to watch!

Content

The Whitetail Behavior DVD is filled with awesome video and insight into how and why whitetails act the way they do. Topics such as senses, communication, reactions to danger and the rut were covered. Although I’ve spent hundreds of hours in the woods hunting, there were still things on this DVD that I had never seen a deer do in the wild. The videos are stunning and very revealing. Great footage and explanation detailed how deer smell, see and hear and showed them in the wild reacting to different stimuli, such as a threat. We’ve all seen a spooked doe stomp her foot and do the head bob when alarmed, but have you ever seen a mature buck spook that way? Probably not, because as you can see in this video, an old buck will typically slink out of a dangerous situation rather than snorting and stomping around. You’ll see and learn about rutting behavior such as rubbing, scraping and the “lockdown” phase. All of this, although not new to most, is still interesting to see and learn more about. Another piece that was particularly interesting to me was the segment on communication, as it featured numerous deer vocalizations. Many of these are seldom heard by hunters, but are still imitated, albeit poorly,  by people in the woods. Specifically I was surprised by how the “tending grunt” sounded coming from a deer. It was much more long and drawn out than I had previously understood, it was almost a slow clicking noise. So like I said, this video offered some great information for experienced hunters and new alike.

Presentation

I thought Whitetail Behavior was a well put together, enjoyable viewing experience. The greatest feature of the DVD is the great video footage of whitetails in the wild and it is truly beautiful. If you are as passionate about whitetails as I am, you will enjoy seeing this kind of video. The main video is filled with great narration explaining the deer behaviors, but there is also a bunch of bonus footage that is nothing but a highlight reel of whitetails doing interesting things out in the wild. I just can’t get enough of that kind of thing. The video also is broken up nicely intro different segments, covering the topics such as communication and senses. This promoted a nice flow and made the DVD progress in a smooth and logical fashion.

Overall Value

If you are obsessed with learning about whitetails, this is a video for you. It’s filled with great video of deer and great information to go along with it. For someone like me, who never stops craving information, I’m a huge fan. But if you’re looking for a thrilling hunting video filled with kills, this isn’t it. I would highly recommend showing this video to any of your friends or family who are just getting into hunting, as it illustrates so many of the things that typically take years in the woods to learn. Show your new hunting friends and watch it yourself to learn more about the fascinating quarry that we love to chase. I’m giving Whitetail Behavior two big thumbs up and for $12.99 it’s a great value.

To pick up a copy of Whitetail Behavior follow this link… Buy the Whitetail Behavior DVD. To get a sneak peek at the video, watch the clip below!

Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer for that deer hunter on your Christmas list? Read on to find out more about an affordable, information packed, stocking sized paperback that will make any deer hunter as happy as a kid who just saw Santa.

I recently was sent the 2010 Deer Hunter’s Almanac for review and I have found it to be the perfect literary companion for cross-country flights, mid-workday lulls and lazy nights at Starbucks. The 2010 Deer Hunter’s Almanac is a collection of deer hunting articles compiled into one handy paperback book. So here’s my take on the Deer Hunter’s Almanac in a nutshell.

Content: This is Grade-A, primo, first rate deer hunting knowledge. Most of these articles are pulled straight from Deer & Deer Hunting’s vaults and , in my opinion, no one produces finer deer hunting literature. Articles are short and sweet, which makes this book perfect for a quick read on the bus, plane or the toilet! Looking for in-depth articles that can help you fine tune your hunting set-up? The almanac has it. Looking for basic tips on choosing the right arrow for a beginner hunter? The almanac has that too. Here are a few of the topics covered…

• Whitetail sign and scouting
• Blood trailing
• The virtues of hunting for does
• Small Land QDM
• Bowhunting Shot Placement
• Tree stand tips for muzzleloader hunters

In addition to the informational articles there are also several great hunting stories, state by state deer hunting summaries, recipes and a Boone & Crockett scoring sheet.

Presentation: The Deer Hunter’s Almanac is a small paperback book printed on newspaper type pages. Its nothing fancy, but in my opinion it is just right for certain situations. The almanac doesn’t have the great big full page color pictures or the fancy advertisements, but it is jammed packed with great info and some terrific grayscale photos too. Maybe the best thing about this books presentation is how compact it is. For the amount of info, the almanac is really small and it is perfect for fitting into a napsack or fanny pack to take out in the woods and read on stand.

Value: Value is really where the almanac stands out in my eyes. The Deer Hunter’s Almanac is brimming with important deer hunting information, but it’s priced like a magazine. For $5.95 you just can’t get find a better resource. I counted almost 50 articles within the Almanac and thats not including the state-by-state coverage. Hard to beat that kind of content for that price.

Final Thoughts

The 2010 Deer Hunter’s Almanac is a tremendous value, great resource and the perfect tree-stand read. Nothing fancy, just great info in a compact package. Works great for me. Like I said, whether you stuff this in a stocking or bring it in the woods, you can’t go wrong.

To purchase a copy of the 2010 Deer Hunter’s Almanac follow this link.

This being said, it’s obvious for most of us that deer hunting action is at it’s finest during the rut. But there is more to this type of science than just that. Recently Field & Stream, Outdoor Life and Deer & Deer Hunting magazines all published articles articulating when the best days to hunt in 2009 would be. Each article used a slightly different method to predict their top days, but each focused on some variation of moon phases, historical trophy production and typical weather patterns. Lets first off look at each publisher’s top days.

Field & Stream’s Best Days to Deer Hunt in 2009:

• Oct 31, Nov 6, Nov 11, Nov 16, Nov 21, Nov 27 and Dec 2
• Nov 11 was chosen as the best day of the year to hunt because this is the heart of the seek-and-chase phase. Bucks are raging with testosterone, but most does are not quite ready to breed. This causes bucks to frenetically check between bedding areas for receptive does.

Deer & Deer Hunting’s Best Days to Deer Hunt in 2009

• Nov 2-14
• Due to the “Rutting Moon” falling on Nov 2 in 2009, this time frame will encompass the majority of the seeking and chasing phases.

Outdoor Life’s Best Days to Deer Hunt in 2009

• Nov 1-3, Nov 15-16, Dec 1-2, Dec 31

So what are the key things that made some days better than others across the board?

1. Early November days were singled out the most because it is typically the time of the seeking/chasing phases of the rut. In these phases, bucks are actively and incessantly chasing does and checking them for receptivity. This is the #1 time for calls, scents and for using your top hunting spots. Hunt all day and be aggressive with your calls.
2. Days were keyed out in late Nov/early December because this is the beginning of the post-rut. Peek breeding is done, so bucks and does aren’t hunkered down in thick areas to breed. Now is your chance to catch a buck refreshing old rut sign and beginning his rounds again as he prepares for the second rut, which comes into play about one month after the first peak rut.

If I were you, I would get out and hunt every single day that I possibly could. But if you need to be picky, these look to be some good options. Good luck hunting!

I’ve just recently gotten done checking out Deer & Deer Hunting’s new interactive cd, Vital Information. This is one serious resource. Vital Information is a CD you can run on your computer, which includes digital articles and videos regarding everything you need to know about the Whitetail anatomy. This is a really a great learning tool for any deer camp or class in regards to deer hunting or just any interested hunter. It’s just an awesome informative tool.

Vital Information includes a selection of some of the best articles that have appeared in Deer & Deer Hunting magazine, all relating to “vital” information in regards to deer. Articles cover topics such as shot placement, deer blood, lungs, digestive system, hearing, and guides to field dressing and skinning deer. The videos show deer hunts and then analyze the quality of the shot selection and how it could have been improved.

Here are the features of the program according to the publisher:

• Exclusive Vital Vision interactive computer program which allows you to view an anatomically correct whitetail from 360 degrees. View all of a deer’s internal organs and bones from every possible shooting angle. Move screens in and out to see organs and bones.
• 5 instructional hunting videos on proper shot placementshow breath-taking hunts for trophy bucks and teach you the do’s and don’ts of shot placement as our staff rates each shot in detail.
• 8 full-length articles on whitetail science and physiologyteach you the science behind the inner workings of a deer’s lungs, rumen, esophagus and circulatory system.

• Full color deer-hair identification guide
• Complete deer anatomy charts with full-color illustrations
• Photo essay to help age deer by their teeth
• Blood-trailing tips and tactics
• Guide to caping, skinning, field dressing and processing
• Illustrations on how to identify the tracks of a wounded deer
• Explanations on why deer and build to survive

I  found the 360 degree views of the deer’s anatomy and shot placement videos to be particularly helpful. This is information that most hunters just aren’t exposed to, but really should be. Another really interesting article takes on the myth of the “dead space” in between the top of the lungs and the backbone. Looks like there is no such thing!

Here is a video clip explaining more about what Vital Information is all about.

The only problem I had with this CD was that at one point the words got all scrambled on the first couple pages of the interactive menu, I reloaded it and the problem was gone. Otherwise this looks to be a high quality, super informative deer hunting resource.

If you’re looking to take the step from being a deer hunter to a deer hunting expert, Vital Information will certainly help you get there.

To pick up a copy of Vital Information follow this link.

TwistedX from the Deer & Deer Hunting forums shared this great story of his cousins harvesting of a monster Ohio buck. Here’s a story we all wish we could have been a part of.

On Oct. 1st 2009 My cousin Nick got home from a stressful day at work and decided he wanted to go hunting to cool off. He grabbed his Horton Yukon SL cross bow and headed for his stand. He lives in SW Ohio and hunts just 300 yards from his back door. He had purchased the property eight years ago and built a house on the rectangular ten acres that has two hundred foot of road frontage and two hundred and 50 foot of property that backs up to the Little Miami River. He had put out corn and a salt block for four years now and that is the place he spends the majority of his hunting time on. He built a stand out of wood that is large enough for two and has a rail all the way around. The stand was built in a large sycamore with plenty of cover all around. He  cut two good shooting lanes based on the property line and the area the deer have generally spent most of their time. His quad path and Property line pass within 10 feet from the base of the tree. The stand is situated to face toward the corn and salt which is further inward on the property than the stand is.

Nick had seen two nice bucks running together for a couple months now but never seen them on his property. In the past he has harvested a few nice buck off the property using various techniques like calling and decoying. On Oct. 1st he chose to leave everything at home and to just sit, besides the weather wasn’t all that great it was windy and the on and off rain was not making this evening very enjoyable. He even thought about getting down and going into the house three seperate times. As the deer began to move and things started to liven up a bit he chose to stay. A decision he will never forget and value. At approximately 6:50 he noticed movement on the quad path and then noticed the large 8pt buck under his stand. His blood pressure rose, his heart was pounding, adrenaline rushed through his body and he began to prepare for a shot when the bruiser walked into his lane,  but then he noticed the other buck that was following the 8pt. He couldn’t seem to make out the exact number of points he just knew he is larger than the 8pt that he first saw. Now flipping out thinking to himself how far is that,  how big is he, right behind the shoulder, right behing the shoulder.

He took his shot and the deer jumps, takes off like a bullet and runs for the back property line. Nick sat in his stand for a while trying to figure out what just happened. A monster buck just walked under his stand and he was able to get a shot off and a good one at that. After half an hour he got down and slowly made his way to the house. Once he got there he decided to eat some dinner and discuss the events with his wife and family. It was  more like yell and gasp for air while he  screamed, ” I just shot a monster”. After dinner he took out his favorite tracking light, his family and a couple friends and went looking for the deer. Together they tracked him two hundred yards with a substantial blood trail when it dried up. Beginning to get worried he may have lamed the deer or may not find the super large buck he shot earlier that evening. Feeling sick to his stomach he was frantically searching the creek banks hoping he didn’t float down the river.

Suspiciously he shined a log at the bottom of the bank, looked away and then shined it two or three more times again until he was close enough to get a good look at the leg. Estatic,  he rushed down the bank grabbed the deer and proceeded to ask for help to pull him out of the creek. As you’ll notice the deer was huge not just in the rack or antler he also had tons of weight and body mass.
They dragged the deer up the hill and he began to gather pictures and thoughts, while attempting to speak. The deer was a total 216 in rough score, 21 inches wide and 19 pts. The one, the only, “THE MONSTER”

Awesome deer TwistedX. As you all start bagging your own bucks, we would love to feature them on Wired To Hunt. Email your stories and pics to wiredtohunt(at)gmail.com

Good luck out there! May you do as well as “Cousin Nick”!

Here is some info on the upcoming October 8th webinar.

• 9 p.m. Eastern / 8 p.m. Central

• Topic: Lunar Rut Predictions: The Foremost Expert on Deer Rutting Activity Helps You Plan for the Rut

• Expert: Charlie Alsheimer, Deer & Deer Hunting magazine author, noted deer biology and behavior authority

• Description: Outside of actually being a deer, you aren’t going to be more in tune with the rut than with Charlie Alsheimer’s predictions. You will know the best times to hunt with his sagely insights. You’ve only got a limited time to spend in the field. Make the best of it.

• Cost: $12.99/one hour live interactive session.
(includes FREE 2009 rut calendar download, a $4.99 value)

• Register for this session here. (spots are limited)

Also here is an example of how these webinars unfold…

Spring can be a slow time for deer hunters, but it’s never too early to start preparing for next season. One of the best things to set yourself up for success next year is to create food plots, but this is easier said than done. Luckily there are a lot of great resources out there to help out.

This being said, a really great resource has been brought to my attention. This next Thursday, May 7, DeerandDeerhunting.com will be hosting a “Webinar” about Food Plot Management. For those of you not familiar with webinars, it is essentially an online seminar that you can follow from your home computer. Deer & Deer Hunting describes it this way…

A webinar is a seminar hosted online. From the comfort of your home PC, an expert will give a presentation about a certain topic. A Powerpoint-style presentation, complete with audio and video, plays on your computer as the expert discusses the topic. You will have many opportunities to ask questions about the topic. This structure is focused enough to explore the topic deeply, but also flexible enough to deliver the information you want to know.

The webinar is at 7 PM Est and will run for approximately one hour, with a $20 fee for access to this program. One attendee will also win three bags of forage seed from Frigid Forage worth about $135. If food plots are on your to do list, I highly recommend you take advantage of this great opportunity to learn from some of the best in the field. To register visit this link and move fast because there are only 100 spots available.

• May 7, 2009
• 7 p.m. Eastern / 6 p.m. Central
• Topic: Food Plot Management: How to Pick the Right Seed for Your Soil: Advanced Tips for Working Man’s Food Plots
• Expert: Matt Harper, Deer & Deer Hunting magazine author, deer nutrition and food plot authority
• Cost: $20/one hour
ONLY 100 SEATS AVAILABLE.

Here is a quick video from Field & Stream, demonstrating the proper way to use these estrus bleat can calls. I highly recommend watching this, and trying it out in the field next time you have the chance. I definitely will have my can handy when I hit the woods this Friday. Good luck hunting!

This video was produced and hosted by Peter Fiduccia, the Deer Doctor. You can learn more by visiting his website www.deerdoctor.com

For some more great insight into using doe in estrus bleats, check out this article from Deer & Deer Hunting contributor, Dan Schmidt. Click Here.

Don’t forget to check out the Deer & Deer Hunting Forums to  keep up to date on the latest in deer hunting news and to get involved in some great discussions about deer hunting tips and tactics. Check it out here.

Official badge of the newest Michigan D & DH Internet Pro Staff

I’m excited to report that I have been selected to be a member of the Deer & Deer Hunting Internet Pro Staff! I will be contributing content to the Deer & Deer Hunting internet forums and blog, as well as providing hunting gear reviews throughout the season.

Check out the list of the new Deer & Deer Hunting Internet Pro Staff  here.

You can also visit the Deer & Deer Hunting Forums to check out my future posts at http://forum.deeranddeerhunting.com/?p_PageAlias=forum