The Rub Line - News, Notes, and Hunt Reports from the Deer & Deer Hunting Staff

Big Tennessee Buck on Camera

DDH Staff — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:20:57 GMT

Chris Johnson of searchaguide.com sent in these photos of a Tennessee buck, which is developing a hefty set of antler. According to Chris, the first photo was taken on June 19, 2009 at about 150 yards. The second pic was taken on June 25, 2009 at about 75 yards.

"I have seen him just about everyday for the last month or so," wrote Chris. "I believe he is a 3 year old buck."

Video: Fawn Comes Through Doggie Door

DDH Staff — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:12:39 GMT

The Deer & Deer Hunting magazine office receives tons of offbeat deer videos. Here's one of them.

Velvet Bucks Occupy Back Yard

DDH Staff — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:15:54 GMT

Ray Smith, of Waupaca, Wisconsin, sent in these scouting camera photos of two bucks in velvet. Do you have photos you'd like to share on the Deer & Deer Hunting blog? E-mail us here.

Submitted by Corey Graff, Online Content Manager

Staff Food Plot Already Attracting

DDH Staff — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:13:02 GMT

by Jacob Edson, F&W Media Outdoors Editor

Well, our new food plot is already attracting deer. Young tender shoots are
preferred by whitetails, and you can see in this photo the pre-existing
chicory in the foreground and our new clover mix in the back.

As a side note, this photo was taken with the new Bushnell Trophy Cam. Its tiny size boasts a year of battery life from eight AA batteries!

Video: 'Coon Irritates Deer

DDH Staff — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:10:02 GMT

Deer & Deer Hunting Editor Dan Schmidt's trail cam captured this confrontation between a white-tailed deer and a raccoon. The camera is motion activated and only records 10 seconds of video. You'll have to decide for yourself who won the round!

Video: Fox, Raccoon and Huge Bug Swarm on Trail Cam

DDH Staff — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:08:46 GMT

Deer & Deer Hunting Editor Dan Schmidt set out a trail cam one muggy summer night in Wisconsin. The animal on the right is a raccoon, the one on the left is a fox and that foggy cloud that moves across the screen is a swarm of bugs. No deer this time.

Video: Trail Cam Films Fox Kit

DDH Staff — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:06:04 GMT

This fox kit wandered in front of the trail cam Deer & Deer Hunting Editor Dan Schmidt set up. Fox are ubiquitous in central Wisconsin, where the magazine is headquartered.

Video: Molting Doe Caught on Trail Camera

DDH Staff — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:04:46 GMT

The trail camera set up by Deer & Deer Hunting Editor Dan Schmidt filmed this molting doe one summer night in Wisconsin. White-tailed deer molt - or replace their coat - twice per year: once for the summer and once for the winter.

Video: Trail Cam Catches Young Buck

DDH Staff — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:57:52 GMT

Deer & Deer Hunting Editor-in-Chief Dan Schmidt accidently set his scouting camera to "video" mode - and captured this footage of a two and one-half year old buck.

Video: Fox Chases Deer

DDH Staff — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:53:22 GMT

Schmidt lucked out again when he captured this video footage of a fox chasing a deer on an infra-red night-vision scouting camera.

Heavy Rain Threatens Staff Food Plot

DDH Staff — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:36:14 GMT

by Jacob Edson, F&W Media Outdoors Editor

A week ago, a coworker and I hustled out to plant a couple food plots before the forecasted rain. We got our seed in the ground in time, and were excited to see the germination process begin. Since then, things have been wet. Very
wet!

Good, right? Well, yes and no.

Large puddles have formed in a few places and we might have lost some of our seed.

However, our plot is taking off in places devoid of standing water. So far, I'd say the plot is doing pretty well aside from one large puddle that seems to be enveloping about 1/8 of an acre.

I'm a little worried we might be in for a little too much rain. There are heavy thunderstorms forecasted for tonight, with up to an inch expected. As the saying goes; when it rains, it pours.

I'll offer another update in a week or so.

How are your food plots doing this year? Share your successes on the deeranddeerhunting.com forums. Or, come and ask a food plot related question.

Staff Food Plot Developing Nicely

DDH Staff — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:36:47 GMT

by Jacob Edson, F&W Media Outdoors editor

This spring, a co-worker and I picked up a new lease for Wisconsin's archery season. The land looks great. It's about 70 percent wooded and 30 percent crop fields.

However, we decided to add a couple of food plots and had the farmer till up a grassy meadow near an already established chicory plot. The total area accounted for about 2 acres, which is a pretty big plot in this part of the state. The area is a little low and somewhat wet, but with good loamy soil.

We had to wait a couple weeks for the soil to dry enough for us to drag the area and then we waited for the weather forecaster to predict rain. That finally came on Friday, so we hustled out and planted an acre of clover mix and another acre in clover, chicory and brassicas. Both mixes were somewhat heavy in ladino clover, which we are hoping will do well in the lowest spots.

For the next three days, the skies opened up and we received a steady dose of precipitation. Now, I can hardly stand the wait! I just want to see how those plots are doing!

Of course, we're not done yet. In a couple months we're going to go back and put in some late-season plots. I can think of one spot in particular that should be perfect for about a 1/2-acre of brassicas. The soil's a little sandy, but brassicas have deep root systems, so they should be a good fit. It's amazing how a little food plot work can get me so excited.

How are your food plots doing this year? Share your successes on the deeranddeerhunting.com forums. Or, come and ask a food plot related question.

New Fawn Visits D&DH Office

DDH Staff — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:56:11 GMT

This freshly-dropped fawn was hanging out on the lawn of the Deer & Deer Hunting offices in Iola, Wisconsin recently. The doe was not with her. Not wanting to disturb the young deer, we shot just this one photo before it became nervous and ran to this fence to hunker down.

It is amazing to see how low a fawn can get as it hides in the grass - they are remarkably well-suited to evade the eyes of predators - and cameramen.

D&DH Editor Dan Schmidt reported that a doe was hanging around on the property the next morning, and said it looked as if the two were reunited, entering a woodlot on the property. Never a dull moment at Deer & Deer Hunting!

- Submitted by Corey Graff, Online Editor

Gut It, Cut It, Cook It: The Book

DDH Staff — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:22:17 GMT

From authors Eric Fromm and Al Cambronne comes "Gut It, Cut It, Cook It." As the title suggests, this book is all about processing venison. The twist is the modern approach the authors take. Boneless cuts of venison are in, hunks o' hacked meat are out.

The authors have developed a neat website about the book ahead of its September release date. It's just in time for deer season and definitely worth a look.

Click here to see more from "Gut It, Cut It, Cook It."

Ky. Court: Deer, Elk Import Ban Unconstitutional

DDH Staff — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:32:08 GMT

Source: stltoday.com

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- The Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled Friday the state's law banning the importation of deer and elk to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease in local herds was unconstitutionally vague.

A three-judge panel ruled Friday that Kentucky's law did not clearly define what it means to "import" animals into the state. At issue was the case of a Tennessee man arrested in 2007 on charges of illegally importing elk and deer into Kentucky from Missouri.

Continue reading here

Deer Boards School Bus

DDH Staff — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:29:31 GMT

Source: dailygazette.com

SCHOHARIE — No injuries were reported this morning after a white-tail deer attempted to board a school bus traveling on state Route 30 in Schoharie.

The school district sent out an e-mail alert this morning reporting that neither the bus driver nor a student on the bus were injured when the deer tried to force its way into the closed door of the bus just before 7 a.m.

Continue reading here

Deer Get Hassled at Airports, Too

DDH Staff — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:23:07 GMT

Source: koamtv.com

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A deer that made its way into Kansas City International Airport has been euthanized due to injuries suffered in a frantic dash through a terminal.

Airport spokesman Joe McBride said the yearling doe went through automatic doors into Terminal A at 5:45 a.m. Monday. He said the deer ran about 100 yards from near the Midwest Airlines section to US Airways gates.

What happened next? Continue reading here

Video: Bandsaw Carves Deer

DDH Staff — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:55:41 GMT

Just watch...