Happy Friday Nation! The weekend is finally here and hopefully you’ve got plans to head out and enjoy creation over the next few days. It’s a great time to do some scouting, search for sheds or hunt some coyotes. So read on for a few good whitetail reads and then get on outside. Enjoy!

What Really Stinks – Non-Typical Hunter: Great article from Marc Anthony as he discusses some of the finer points of scent control. Do yourself a favor this year and work on improving your scent control regimen in at least one way this upcoming season. It will help, I promise!

Hunting A Dying Sport? I’m Not Buying It – Stuck In The Rut: Petersen’s Bowhunting Editor Christian Berg discusses why he believes that hunting isn’t necessarily facing a crisis in membership or interest.

The “Hooky” Buck – Justin Ramsdorfer – North American Whitetail: Here’s the profile of a dandy Pennsylvania buck taken by a college student skipping out on class! Good choice my friend.

5 Minutes with WCI QDMA President Chase Burns – Outdoor Freaks: Here’s a great interview with friend and fellow QDMA Deer Steward Chase Burns. Chase has become a terrific leader for the Quality Deer Management Association on the local level in Illinois and when you read this interview you’ll understand why.

The Cure for Buck Fever? Take A Practice Shot With The Safety One – Whitetail 365: Scott Bestul of Field & Stream walks us through his latest idea for controlling buck fever.

It’s been a crazy couple weeks of hunting for me and I imagine it probably has for many of you! My big vacation has come and ungone unsuccesfully, but not all is lost. There’s plenty of season left and opportunities still exist. So make sure you keep hitting it hard and never give up. Although on the other side of the coin, make sure not to neglect your friends/family/loved ones too much either! With thanksgiving coming up, it’s a great time to sit back and appreciate the great activity we get to enjoy in the woods and the terrific people that support our obsession.

That being said, in your down time this weekend, check out these blog posts below from across the hunting world to stay ready for that next shot at the big buck.

Target Big Bucks Video: How To Use Trail Cameras – Big Buck Zone: Great video detailing tactics for using trail cameras to target mature bucks from Neil Dougherty.

Rut Science: Shoot 2 Mature Bucks In One Scrape Area – Mike Hanback’s Big Deer: Interesting thoughts on the chances you might have of tagging bucks from the same scrape area twice in a row!

Wounded Deer Kills Indiana Hunter – Stuck In The Rut: Tragic story of an Indiana hunter who was killed in a tangle with a buck he shot.

Using Big & J Products During the Rut – Big & J Blog: Often overlooked at this time of year is that fact that nutritional supplements are still needed by your herd during the rut, and it can even help with your hunts too. More details after the link.

Hunting The Rut – Lessons Learned – Sole Adventure: Great story from Mark over at Sole Adventure as he discusses his big rut hunt and a few lessons learned along the way. I can definitely relate.

Heartland Bowhunter Join Me for a Hunt on the DreamDirt Farm – Dream Dirt: A nice story from my pal Jason Smith of Whitetail Properties as he describes a recent visit from the Heartland Bowhunter crew to his farm.

The buck in this photo seems to be saying  ”BRING IT ON”  as it stares into the red eyes of the trail camera.  His pose is that of a college linebacker showcasing  a muscular neck, confident stare, and busted up head gear he wears as a badge of honor. He is battle tested and willing to do whatever it takes to find and defend his mate…even fighting to the death.  We know the bucks are ready for the rut…. but are you?

To help you prepare for the climax of our whitetail season, I plan on bringing you rut hunting tips every day of the working week, for the next two weeks! And that all begins today, with a Friday Morning Mashup of great rut hunting articles. Study up and then hunt hard. It’s show time!

Buck Chasing A Doe , Here’s Why You Should Stay Put – Cabelas Deer Nation: Good blurb on why it’s probably a good idea to stay put sometimes, and not go chasing bucks around everywhere you see them.

Rut Signs On Again, Off Again – Rut Reporters: Scott Bestul updates us on the latest in rutting activity this week across most the Midwest. Long storyshort, it’s here and there, but not everywhere…

When Are The Best Days To Hunt The Rut – Petersen’s Bowhunting: The always informative Bill Winke gives us some pointers on the best days to hunt during the rut, especially if you’re hoping to see a mature buck.

Find The First Hot Does To Tag  A Trophy Now – Rut Reporters: Here is a major key to success, and one that Bill Winke mentions in the article above. You’ve got to be in the woods when that first doe comes intro estrus.

Five Things You Should Know Before Hunting A Sanctuary – North American Whitetail: The rut is a great time to dive into those sanctuary areas that you’ve left alone all year. If you’re ever going to go in, this is the time. So here are a few suggestions for how to properly approach the situation.

Best Days of the Rut : Oct 31 – Field & Stream: If you saw my post earlier this week about Field & Stream’s best days of the rut, you’ll know that Halloween day is the first they list. Here are some more details about why this day is predicted to be so good.

Do you see that right there? Just above? That’s a red hot fresh scrape, just yards from the stand I hunted yesterday morning. Let me tell you what. After seeing three of these on the way out of my stand, I was getting pretty jacked. Nothing gets you excited for the rut more than fresh rubs and scrapes. And it’s starting to kick off, thats for sure. With three fresh scrapes and three fresh rubs spotted, its feeling like gametime is approaching. And boy do I like that.

So as we’re all gearing up for the whitetail superbowl (the rut, of course), it’s also important to keep up on important strategies and news! So in your down time this weekend, check out the great deer hunting blog posts below. Until next week, good luck and shoot straight!

Whitetail Tips: Ambush Mature Bucks with Setback Stand – Big Buck Zone: Very interesting strategy for targeting mature bucks. Essentially this tactic takes advantage of the fact that mature bucks will pattern you the hunter, and adjust their travel routes. The key is to be one step ahead of them. If you do nothing else, read this. Super intriguing.

Wisconsin Hopes “Dr Deer” Will Improve Its Deer Program – Bowhunting.com: Dr. James Kroll has been named Wisconsin’s new “Deer Czar”, responsible for mapping a new strategy for their deer management program. Once again, Wisconsin’s deer management is a hot topic.

Should You Use A Deer Decoy – Dan Schmidt’s Whitetail Wisdom: Great read from Dan Schmidt, as he outlines thoughts on using decoys.

Track Rut Behavior Year To Year By Keeping a Journal – Whitetail 365: Interested in better understanding the ebbs and flows of the rut? What better to look back on than your own experiences? Here are a few thoughts on using a journal to do just that.

Stand Placement – Trophy Ridge Blog: Great article by Jason Smith of Whitetail Properties, as he outlines strategies for great stand placement. Great insight here!

Happy Memorial Day weekend to you all! I hope you’ve got some fun plans for the next couple days, cold beers waiting for you in the fridge and a grill ready to rock! But most importantly, I hope all of our service men and women know how much we appreciate them. A big thank you goes out to all of our armed forces, we couldn’t do what we do if it wasn’t for those brave folks protecting our freedoms. But with that being said, we’ve rounded up the top deer hunting blog posts from this past week for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy, have a great weekend, and God bless the USA!

Gear: A Mulitool for Bowhunters – Whitetail 365: Check out this quick preview of a really neat new tool coming out for bowhunters. It includes a nock crimper, broadhead sharpener, screw-in step starter, pliers and much more!

Wisconsin Bear & Buck Club Member: B&C Messed Up – Daniel Schmidt’s Whitetail Wisdom: Another page in the Johnny King Buck saga, as a WI Bear & Buck club member is interviewed about his thoughts on the Johnny King buck and how the Boone and Crockett club has handled it.

Planting Food Plots What Works for Me – Bowhunting.com: A nice article covering John’s food plot strategy and a few of his do’s and don’ts.

Using Maps to Plan Where To Hunt This Fall – Growing Deer TV Blog: Dr Grant Woods put together a great article, detailing how he uses maps to help plan hunting destinations. But not in the usual way. He’s talking about maps that show rain fall and drought across the US and using that to predict the forage quality, leading to the big buck potential. Real interesting read.

Big Mike: The Hamburger Buck – Petersen’s Bowhunting: This isn’t exactly a blog post, but it’s a great hunting article posted online, so I’m going to say it still qualifies! John Dudley lays out a great story of how persistence and a little luck led to him downing a giant old Iowa buck last year. Definitely a fun story, with a good lesson to learn.

There are 126 days left until my archery season opener in Ohio and the days can’t go by fast enough!  That being said, I’m doing everything I can to make it through this off-season buck fever. Last night a couple buddies of mine came over for a night of big bucks and beers, as we watched last year’s Whitetail Freaks DVD and competed to see who could field score bucks the best! It’s always a good time and it’s also a great way to keep your eye sharp when field scoring deer. After judging 26 different deer, I ended up having an average of 6.6 inches difference from the actual scores and my buddy Dustin had the lowest,  with a score of 6.3 inches off! It’s definitely a good time, but if you don’t have time to catch up on some hunting DVDs, the least you can do is check out some other good huntin blogs across the web! Here are a few of the best posts from this past week…

B&C Scorer: There Is No Gray Area With King Buck – Daniel Schmidt’s Whitetail Wisdom: More details emerge surrounding the Johnny King Buck VS Boone & Crockett saga!

Transfer Agents – Growing Deer TV Blog: Dr. Grant Woods offers a few reminders about the importance of providing your plants with the proper nutrients, so they may transfer them to your deer!

Interview: Jeff Simpson, Fencepost Films – The Will To Hunt: Pretty interesting interview with Jeff Simpson, creator of Fencepost Films and Sitka Athlete.

Understanding the Importance of Minerals – Bowhunting.Net: A good post reviewing the need that deer have for mineral supplementation and a few suggestions. The author mentions some specific brands of mineral to use, but keep in mind there are plenty of options out there.

This afternoon I begin my twelve hour drive to attend the QDMA Deer Steward Course in Branson, Missouri. And as part of the preparation for this course, I had to go through a selection of required readings covering everything from whitetail sight and smell, to deer harvest strategies. If per chance you’re interested, you can read some of the recommended articles on the QDMA site here. But if you’re not inclined to go through the QDMA’s recommended reading list, I’d ask that you at least check out mine! Per the usual routine, see below for some of the top whitetail blog posts online from the last week!

Peak of Predation – Growing Deer TV Blog: Dr. Grant Woods explains how now is one of the most dangerous times for deer and turkeys, as predators hunt down newborns.

Eight Ways to Protect Soybeans from Deer – QDM Works: If you’re planting soybeans this year, make sure to check out this article for tips on preventing deer from decimating your plot too early in the year!

Will Deer Drown in the Mississippi Floods – Mike Hanback’s Big Deer: Mike takes a looks at how deer might be affected by the recent flooding along the Mississippi river corridor.

Venison Chili – Hunter Angler Gardener Cook: A great looking venison chili recipe from Hank Shaw of Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook.

Take-Home Message from the King Buck Saga – Dan Schmidt’s Whitetail Wisdom: Get Dan’s final take on the King Buck Story and why he believes this buck deserves another shot.

If you’ve been following Wired To Hunt for very long, you know that we’re not just a blog, but rather an online home for the whitetail freaks of the world. You the readers and everyone involved with W2H are part of what I like to call the Wired To Hunt Nation, a community of hardcore hunters that’s obsessed with talking and learning about anything related to whitetails. But if you’re just following Wired To Hunt on the blog itself, you’re missing out on a lot! With the increasing popularity of social media, we are able to share more information than ever before and connect on a one to one basis with thousands of the W2H Nation through Facebook and Twitter. Needless to say, Facebook and Twitter have become a big part of what Wired To Hunt is, so make sure to get connected! But if you’re still not convinced, let me give  four reasons why you should join the Wired To Hunt Nation on Facebook and Twitter!

1. Stay up to date on everything Wired To Hunt! On both Facebook and Twitter I post frequent updates on the W2H team’s hunting adventures, and these are updates that are never posted on the actual blog. During hunting season we even live tweet and post on Facebook from the stand. On top of personal hunting related updates, you’ll also see exclusive pictures and videos that I share only on the FB or Twitter pages.

2. Every day on Twitter I work to share some of the best news and stories from the whitetail world with our followers. Look for daily updates from the Wired To Hunt blog, news from various outdoor publications and any other great snippets of whitetail info that I can get my hands on!

3. Through Facebook and Twitter you can actively join in the conversation with other members of the Wired To Hunt Nation. Look for daily discussions and Q&As about various whitetail topics, tales and news!

4. If you join our Facebook page or Twitter between now and Friday night, you’ll be eligible to win a free WiredToHunt.com decal! This weekend I’ll pull a winner for the decal from our Facebook fans and Twitter followers, so make sure you’re in the running!

Sold on joining us on Twitter and Facebook? Good! Follow the links below to join the Wired To Hunt Facebook page and to follow us on Twitter!

Wired To Hunt Facebook Page

Wired To Hunt on Twitter

Have any questions? Just let me know. Looking forward to hearing from you all on Twitter and FB soon!

They say April showers bring May flowers. I can’t speak to that, but based on the past couple weeks I can certainly say they got the first part right! April seemed to be nothing but a constant shower. So to keep our minds off these wet, dreary days I’d recommend you check out the deer hunting gems below that I found on the web this week! Enjoy!

Controlled Burns Rejuvenate Whitetail Grasslands – Whitetail 365: Check out this video from Scott Bestul of Field & Stream as he explores the use of controlled burns to improve whitetail habitat.

Another Buck Shot In the “Dead Zone” Lives – Mike Hanback’s Big Deer: More talk of the ever debated no-mans land between a deer’s spine and lungs. Can an arrow pass through this area without catching a lung? Some say it’s not possible, but many beg to differ.

QDM Troubleshooting: Avoid the Road Trip Fantasy – QDM Works: Be warned of the road trip fantasy….You head off to Iowa and see monster bucks on QDM managed properties and then assume you can see the same results in Michigan. Set more realistic expectations and you’ll be much more satisifed with your QDM plan.

Hunting Camouflage Comparison by Gray Light Productions – Sole Adventure: An interesting look at how various camouflages blend into a forest scenery.

Rain, rain go away. It seems like it’s been raining forever, and the forecast unfortunately is calling for more to come. For us folks that love to be outside, these spring rains can put a serious damper on our plans. But on the other hand, a wise man once told me there’s no such thing as bad weather, just poorly dressed people. So if you’re craving some fresh air, don’t let this weather get you down! Don some rain gear and hit the woods for a walk or chase some turkeys! But if you’re planning on staying inside, you might as well read about the outdoors! So check out the great blog posts below, from across the web, to learn about trail camera techniques, big bucks and workout ideas!

A Rinella Recipe – Grille Venison Loin and Venison Kebabs – The Wild Within Blog: Check out these two awesome looking venison recipes from Steven Rinella, host of The Travel Channel’s The Wild Within.

Bad Year for Big Bucks – Whitetail 365: Was 2010 a bad year for big bucks? Entries in big buck contests in many states were down significantly this year. Could this be a sign of waning populations or is it just people aren’t going to the shows as much or something else entirely? Or maybe it was due to the weird rut we had?

Sharpening Your Trail Camera Skills in the Offseason – QDM Works: A really cool article about testing new set-ups in the off-season with your trail camera. For instance trying to capture a waterfall in the background of your trailcam pics with deer. If you’re camera is collecting dust right now, it may be a good idea to get it back out in the woods to try some new ideas and see if you can snap a couple neat pics!

Ontario Bowhunter Kills 3rd Giant Buck from Same Tree – Mike Hanback’s Big Deer Blog: A cool story of how one Ontario man killed three bucks over 160 from the same tree in just a couple years! He definitely found a honey hole!

Training To Become a Better Bowhunter – Under Armour’s Athletes Hunt Blog: A great post from UA Pro-staffer and host of Nock On TV, John Dudley. John walks through his training regimen and offers some great suggestions for getting in better shape for hunting season. Between this article and my recent piece on the Bowhunter’s Circuit Training, you should be able to get some really helpful ideas as you work to prep for fall!