Whitetail 365

Announcing the Results of the Bowtech Insanity Buck-Scoring Contest

Online Editors — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:24:50 -0400

by Dave Hurteau

Is that the hum of a delivery truck you hear? Getting closer? Carrying a new Bowtech Insanity CPX just for you. Well, let’s see now…

The actual gross B&C scores of this contest’s four bucks are as follow:

Buck #1, taken by Daniel Gissendaner: 163 4/8.
Buck #2, taken by Darrell Bozarth: 159 7/8.
Buck #3, taken by Mitch Stroble: 149 3/8.
And Buck #4, taken by Joe Dampier: 154 2/8

The total gross B&C score for all four is therefore 627 even, which means we have a tie. Both IND_NRA and lamphere29 guessed 627 1/8, just 1/8 off. (Incidentally, there was also a tie for the runner-up position with stickbow13 and jman22 both off by just 2/8s, which entitles each to a kiss from his sister, or if they can work it out, a kiss from each others’ sister.)

Congratulations to our finalists, IND_NRA and lamphere29. You two are going head-to-head. I will post your tiebreaker buck on Monday.

A Deer Hunter May Be First to Tag a Minnesota Timber Wolf

Online Editors — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:33:34 -0400

by Scott Bestul

The first Minnesota timber wolf killed during a regulated hunting season may fall to a deer hunter. According to this story in the Brainerd Dispatch, the DNR is taking public comment on a proposed two-part wolf season, with the first hunt coinciding with the deer opener on Nov. 3. The second season—which will include both hunting and trapping—will take reopen in late November and close in mid-January, unless a quota of 400 wolves is reached earlier.

This fall’s wolf season will be the first in Minnesota’s history. Prior to 1974, when timber wolves were placed on the endangered species list, wolves were an unprotected species. Unlike the other Great Lakes and western states, wolves were never extirpated from Minnesota, and current estimates place the population at around 3,000 animals. Federal damage control trappers have consistently removed an average of 170 wolves annually.

The DNR’s proposed season—which it calls “very conservative”—calls for 6,000 licenses split between the two hunts. Both residents and nonresidents are eligible to apply for a hunting tag, with proposed fees at $30 and $250, respectively. Nonresident hunting licenses will be limited to 5 percent of the total, or 300 tags. Only residents will be allowed to trap or snare wolves during the second season.

I view this hunt as a huge and important milestone for midwestern wolf management, as well as Minnesota sportsmen and residents. I’ve always been a little confounded that our state has not been allowed to manage a wolf population that has been thriving for many years, and I’ve talked to federal trappers who’ve noted that they’ve removed (read “euthanized”) as many as 200 wolves in a single season here.

This is a waste of an incredible resource, and the fact that Minnesota hunters and trappers can now help regulate the harvest of this fantastic predator finally puts things right. Hopefully, Wisconsin and Michigan (where reintroduced wolves are also thriving) will follow the Minnesota DNR’s lead and model a season that will allow sportsman a chance to harvest surplus animals and, perhaps more importantly, give farmers at least some buy-in to managing wolf numbers. Finally, the return of wolf management to these states can hopefully serve as an example that the Endangered Species Act has its success stories, too.

Call Better: Try These Two Turkey Yelps

Sarah Smith — Mon, 21 May 2012 10:44:49 -0400

by Dave Hurteau

Yes this is Whitetail365, and I know that the spring turkey season is either over or nearly so depending on where you hunt. But most of you whitetail nuts are also turkey hunters, and it’s never too late to become a better caller. So here’s a quick video (in truth it goes on a bit too long, sorry) describing two ways to yelp on a mouth call, as shown to me by a couple of damn good callers.

If you you’re not into turkey hunting but do enjoy tongue twisters, I invite to say “Philip films for Flextone” ten times fast.

Bowtech Insanity CPX Buck-Scoring Contest, Final Round

Sarah Smith — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:52:15 -0400

by Dave Hurteau

This is it. This is the fourth and final buck in our contest and your chance to win a new Bowtech Insanity CPX compound bow, the company’s flagship model for 2012.

All you have to do is guess the gross B&C score of this here critter, add it to your guesses for the first three bucks (linked below), and post your grand total in the comment section below.

Remember, fractionals count.

Whoever’s grand total is closest to that of the four bucks’ actual gross scores (which I will post next Friday) wins the bow.* If there’s a tie, I will post another buck for the finalists to guess at.

So, the four bucks you should include in your grand-total guess are the one pictured above and the three linked here:

Buck #1

Buck #2

Buck #3

Only your first guess counts (unless it’s an obvious typo or such). You have until first thing Friday morning (May 25) to post your guess. And as always, if you win and we find out that you are a friend or family member of one of the hunters shown or you are affiliated with Bowtech or F&S, then we are going to drive to your house, smack you in your head, and take the bow back.

Okay, go for it—and good luck.

*You must be 14 or older to play; if you are under 18, we need a parent’s consent to ship the bow.

Looking For a New Line of Work? Think About Taxidermy

Sarah Smith — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:13:57 -0400

by Dave Hurteau

If this damnable recession has robbed you of your job or you're bored to tears at work or you just hate your boss like most people (but not me, definitely not me)--well, here's a little inspiration from jobs.aol.com and Jim Brown of Wildlife Encounters taxidermy.

In this video, Brown notes that the taxidery business is good despite the bad economy. "I think when a guy shoots a big deer," he explains, "one way or another, they're going to figure out a way to get it done."

Is he talking about anyone you know?

Bowtech Insanity CPX Buck-Scoring Contest, Round 3

Sarah Smith — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:02:23 -0400

by Dave Hurteau

Okay people, here is the third buck in our scoring contest. I’ll say again that you are playing for a brand new Bowtech Insanity CPX compound bow, the company’s flagship model for 2012.

If you are joining us late, here’s what is going on: I have now posted three of four bucks photos. (Click here if you missed the first one, here for the second one.) I will post the fourth and last buck next week. Your job is to guess the gross B&C score of each and keep track of your guesses. Fractionals will count. When I post the final buck, I’ll ask you for your grand total. Whoever is closest wins the bow*. If there is a tie, we will have a tiebreaker buck.

(Many of you have read the following appeal before, but I like to pop it in here once in a while for newcomers: While I’m making every effort to choose bucks that have not be publicized, word does tend to get out about big whitetails. If you happen to know the score of the buck pictured, there isn’t much I can do except ask you keep it to yourself. Kindly don’t post your proof and ruin the fun for everyone else.)

Here’s your third buck. What do you think it scores?

*You must be 14 or older to play; if you are under 18, we need a parent’s consent to ship the bow.

Good Stuff: Gear Keeper Rangefinder Holster Lets You Stay on the Move

Sarah Smith — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:39:57 -0400

by Scott Bestul

Like most bowhunters, I consider a laser rangefinder pretty standard gear. Though I do most of my whitetail hunting from tree stands (where most shots are under 30 yards), I still zap the exact distance to the trails, scrapes and openings around my stand.

And of course when I hunt more open territory or any type of ground-pounding situation, a range finder becomes critical. I’ve found my range-estimating capabilities—which I consider pretty good in heavily timbered terrain— simply fall apart in the prairies or mountains.

Still, I never quite know where to stash a rangefinder. When I’m stand hunting I stuff it in my pack, then try to remember to shoot ranges at different reference points at the beginning of each hunt. But things get problematic when I’m on the ground, stalking or still-hunting. Now the situation can become fluid and I may need to know distances in a second or two. I need to be able to reach my rangefinder quickly and quietly, nab a reading and—this is the tricky part for me—stow the thing silently and in a spot where I can access it again.

So this year at the ATA show I perked right up when I saw the Gear Keeper rangefinder holster. This handy little pouch straps to your belt and holds a rangefinder securely and quietly. Even better, the Gear Keeper features a slick, retractable lanyard that attaches to a rangefinder and makes re-holstering the device pretty mindless. Heck, you can—in the heat of the moment—simply drop the rangefinder and the lanyard will prevent you (OK, me -- I’m infamous for dropping stuff in the dirt, never to be found) from losing the thing in the wake of a shot opportunity.

I’ve been playing with the Gear Keeper lately and have been impressed enough to give it a try this fall. How do you manage your rangefinder? Any other good, hunter-friendly products out there for keeping your accessories handy that also prevent loss?

Creators of Deer Antler Velvet Spray Sue MLB

Sarah Smith — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:10:18 -0400

by Scott Bestul

The velvet-covered antlers of whitetail deer—long regarded as one of the fastest-growing tissues in the animal kingdom—have been studied for years for everything from simple cell replication to cancer research. Well, apparently companies like Nutronics Labs have jumped on the wondrous properties of velvet and are promoting (oh, and selling) it in spray form as a means to “increase lean muscle tissue, experience quicker recovery, and overall healthy natural performance gains.”

Well, hey, this is America. If folks can make a buck off some velvet, no harm, no foul...right?

Well, Major League Baseball thought differently, and last August issued a warning to its players to abandon use of the spray because it “contained potentially contaminated nutritional supplements” that might cause a player test positive for banned substances, according to this “ESPNGO” story filed last fall. Scientists have discovered the presences of IGF-1 (a banned performance enhancer) in the velvet of deer antlers, which caused the league to issue the warning.

Now, Nutronics Labs are suing MLB, saying the league’s warning contains “false, misleading and malicious” statements (Nutronics contends their product has never tested positive for any banned substance) that have cost the company as much as $50 million. In addition to professional ball players, college teams also warned against the use of velvet spray after the MLB released its letter.

Sorry, but I have to admit to being behind the curve on this issue. Naturally, I blame Hurteau, who’s the bigger baseball nut. I’m just the guy who covers the folks who’ll plunk down five figures for a shed antler.

World Record Muley Divides Family for Decades

Sarah Smith — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:15:43 -0400

by Scott Bestul

For those who think antler envy is a recent phenomenon, the Broder family may beg to differ. They’ve been dealing with it -- over a single, magnificent mule deer -- for decades. According to this recent story in the Calgary, Alberta Herald, the Broder’s fight centered on the reigning world record nontypical muley, a buck shot by Ed Broder way back in 1926. The chocolate-horned buck carried a whopping 355” of antler, and has reigned—without serious challenge—atop the B&C books for 85 years.

The problems began when Ed Broder died in 1968, leaving no will. Broder’s oldest Don had the rack in his possession, but as the years passed siblings contested his right to the world record deer. Legal wrangling and intense sibling rivalries ensued, culminating in Don finally losing a court battle in 1997. He was jailed for ten days for failure to turn over the antlers. Trouble was, relinquishing the rack was something impossible for Broder to do, as he’d sold the head to a Montana collector for the tidy sum of $325,000.

The saga reached another -- and perhaps final -- chapter when Don Broder died this week. Hopefully this embattled family can start to heal after years of feuding over one of North America’s greatest trophy bucks. Whenever I read a tale like this, I’m reminded of a conversation I had with antler collector Larry Huffman a few years back. Huffman (now deceased) was once one of the country’s top collectors of trophy whitetail heads.

Though Huffman made a bunch of money buying and selling deer heads, (he sold his collections to Bass Pro Shops), he was also a deer hunter who recognized that the greatest value of a buck was to the person who shot it. “When someone approaches me about selling a rack, my first advice is, ‘Don’t’” Huffman says. “But if you do, know exactly why you’re doing it and what you’re parting with.” Too bad Ed Broder didn’t have the benefit of Huffman’s advice back in 1926.

Bowtech Insanity CPX Buck-Scoring Contest, Round 2

Sarah Smith — Fri, 04 May 2012 09:55:39 -0400

by Dave Hurteau

Below is the next buck in our scoring contest. On the off chance that you were hit on the head since Round 1 or are simply having trouble understanding the headline above, I’ll remind you that you’re playing for a brand new Bowtech Insanity CPX compound bow, the company’s flagship model for 2012.

If you are just joining us, here’s the deal: I will post a total of four bucks photos, one per week, for one month. (Click here if you missed the first one.) You will guess the gross B&C score of each and keep track of your guesses. Fractionals will count. When I post the final buck, I’ll ask you for your grand total. Whoever is closest wins the bow*. If there is a tie, we will have a tiebreaker buck.

So here’s your second buck. What do you think it scores?

*You must be 14 or older to play; if you are under 18, we need a parent’s consent to ship the bow.