Whitetail Deer Passion

Ask Othmar: Hunting Deer on a Small Property

2009-11-09T20:53:00.000-08:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Q. I have permission to hunt on about 40-acre property in a suburb. It is a small block consisting mainly of hardwoods and a small open grassy area. It’s got houses on two sides and a highway on the other end. I’ve never hunted such a small place in close proximity to houses and people but I’ve seen lots of deer in that area. My question is how do I hunt these deer without putting too much pressure on them?

A. Don’t worry about pressuring these deer too much. Suburban deer are used to seeing and hearing people close up everyday. In other words, suburban deer are accustomed to humans, vehicles and human noise.

To hunt these deer successfully forget everything you have ever read, heard or seen about hunting tactics. You even can forget everything about human odour control. Forget about sneaking in before daylight.

Instead try to match your coming and going to the activity of the people living around the area, children going to school, people going and coming from work and so on. That’s what the deer are used to and if you try to sneak around they will know you’re different and get scared.

Match your movement to what the deer are used too.

Leave all your calls, rattling antlers and scent at home. Just find the active trails leading in and out of the woodlot and hang stands accordingly.

I have killed a nice buck on a small 30-acre property just sitting behind a tree near an active trail intersection. I shot the deer about 50 yards next to a schoolyard. The deer didn’t mind the noise from the children because they were used to it. I used the time when the children went to school to walk into my stand. A half hour later the buck walked down the trail right in front of my arrow. Don't rely on your normal hunting tactics on small lots. It will cost you deer.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: Hunting On A Small Property, Deer Hunting tips, Ask Othmar, Suburban Deer

The Rut Is Soon Here - Any Day Now

2009-11-09T10:48:00.001-08:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

This past Sunday my wife and I went for a drive up north to the small logging town of Barrier. The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed every minute of it. It might be the last sunshine we get before the long winter arrives.

In the way home we drove along a cattle pasture when I spotted about 25 deer. We stopped and started to take pictures.

Observing the deer we discovered several smaller and medium sized bucks among the does and fawns. These images are taken with a 600mm lens. In reality the deer are about 300 yards of off the road. We discovered the bucks when we looked through the photo lens.

Two bucks approached each other and after sniffing and dancing around each other they started to fight. The latest for well over twenty minutes. As you can see in the next image the does don’t pay any attention to the fighting. The fight attracted other bucks, 7 in all out if view staying just inside the tree line. The bucks showed no interest in the does whatsoever. The fighting is a sign that the rut soon will be upon us. Maybe in a matter of days even.

Now is a good time to pack your rattling antlers or rattling bag along on your hunting trips.

Related articles:
Early Season Antler Rattling
Deer Scent and Calling Tactics Trough the Seasons

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: Antler Rattling, Bucks Fighting, Deer Hunting

Wisconsin Browhunter Shoots Big Ten Point Buck

2009-11-08T17:33:00.000-08:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

I am particularly proud of this young Wisconsin bowhunters first buck kill because I had a small part to play in his success.

When Shawn contacted me he didn’t sound to happy. Like most novice hunters he failed to kill a deer and had nobody to turn to, to ask for advice. After he gave me a detailed description of his hunting area I was able to give him a few starting point. We stayed in contact during which he kept me up-to-date on what he’s observed and I recommended what to do next. About a week into the consulting he called me to tell me enthusiastically that he shot a doe.

He also had seen a large mature buck but had no way, so he thought, to get close to him. More detailed descriptions followed, which I followed up with advice and tops on what to do. A week later the phone rang very early in the morning. Shawn was on the other end. Almost out of breath and very exited he told me that he just came home just to call and let me know that he shot the giant ten point buck. In an email he sent me that afternoon he wrote; "This buck was shot because of you. Thanks so much for your advice."

I’ll not give to much away because Shawn will soon tell you all about his very special hunt in his own words here at Whitetail Deer Passion.

As a hunting strategy & hunting property evaluation consultant I am fortunate to help many hunters to improve their success but it always is a special thrill me to play a small part in a novice hunters success.

In addition to make an already good week even better, I received an email from a hunting club that booked my consulting service and it seems they are happy too. Here is an excerpt of the email sent to me by the president of hunting club.

"...This is a short note to express our gratitude and sincere thanks to you for the consultant service you provided. We implemented your recommendations and advice on hunting strategies and stand locations and are happy to report that the average hunting success of our members in this past season has increased to 67%, compared to 43% last season...
Hiring you as our hunting strategy consultant to evaluate our clubs hunting land and leases has been worth every dollar and more. The board of directors and the membership would like to extend an open invitation to you, as a show of our gratitude, to hunt on our club properties any time you wish... Once again thank you very much."

As I said earlier I feel very fortunate to be able to help other hunters. For me that is all part of our great and unique North American hunting heritage and I am proud to be part of it. If you're interested in my consulting service is available to outfitters, clubs and individual hunters owning their own hunting land. To learn more about this unique service follow this link: HUNTING STRATEGY CONSULTANT & HUNTING PROPERTY EVALUATION

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: Hunting Strategy Consultant, Hunting Property Evaluation, Trophy Buck, Deer Hunting

Ask Othmar: Cattle and Deer

2009-10-20T18:36:00.000-07:00

By Othmar Vohringer

Question: "Is it true that deer do not like to be around cattle?"

My Answer: Yes and no. I've hunted in areas where the deer didn't mind sharing the land with cattle. In fact I hunted on a property where the deer mingled with cattle and we always had to make sure that no cow was in the line of sight when we shot a deer.

When I moved to British Columbia I found a place that had a large deer population. Every time i scouted the area I saw lots of deer. Then when bowhunting season opened I didn't see a single deer. On the way out of the area I saw a herd of free ranging cattle but it didn't dawn at me that these cattle had anything to do with the vanishing deer until the day when the rancher herded the cows to a different place. Within two days of the cattle gone the deer came back.

I never have found an answer why in some areas deer and cattle seem to get along and in other areas deer move away when cattle are present. The only reasonable conclusion I can come up with is that perhaps in some areas food is plentiful available for both, while in others cattle may be in competition with the deer.

The only thing I can say for sure is that you need to observe deer and how they behave around cattle. Do they stay in the area or move off? And then adjust your tactics according to your observations.

Visit my website:
Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Deer Hunting Tips, Ask Othmar, Deer and Cattle

Do we get an early rut this year?

2009-10-04T21:40:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

In the third week of September I observed something very strange that I have never seen before. While scouting a new area I discovered fresh and re-freshened scrapes. Usually scraping activity does not start around here until the first to second week of October. Did the deer know something I didn’t?

When on October first the weather changed drastically overnight from a mild Indian summer to subzero temperatures and the first snowfall occurred I thought that this early cold snap might have something to do with the early scraping activity and may have triggered a false rut.

But then reports came in from as far south as Tennessee and Florida where hunters too observed scraping activity. I even got some reports from hunters that have seen bucks chasing does in the first week of October. Now I could understand that the cold front we had up here in the southern interior of British Columbia may have deer fooled into early rutting activity, but in the south of America where the temperatures are still in the mid and upper 50’s?

I am still puzzled about this early rutting activity and asked some deer biologists if they had any idea what could have happened but thy are not sure either.

If that keeps up I may have to hunt the rut in mid October. Wouldn’t that be crazy? For me the bigger question is. If the deer are indeed beginning to breed that early they also will give early birth when weather conditions are not favorable to raise offspring. Indeed there might be still snow on the ground in many areas of North America. This in turn could lead to heavy fawn mortality. Whatever it is I sure don’t like it.

I would like to know what you guys observed in your hunting area and what your opinion is on this very unusual phenomenon.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Deer Rut, Early Rut, Unusual Deer Behavior

Ask Othmar : Hunting Cornfields

2009-10-04T12:59:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Hi Othmar. A few friends and I have permission to hunt a farm. It’s the perfect piece of whitetail deer habitat with a small river bottom, hardwood ridges, pastures and several corn and bean fields. The farmer gave us permission to set up anywhere on his property except near the livestock and equipment barns and his house of course. In addition we only have permission to bowhunt, no firearms, not even slug guns or muzzleloader.

The problem I'am having is how to hunt cornfields. I've never hunted cornfields before. I could hunt the hardwood ridges but from what I observed it seems that most deer stay in the cornfields so I would like to give it a try. How do you go about hunting cornfields?

Ken from Illinois

Hunting cornfields can be a very productive way to kill a big buck. There are several options to hunt a cornfield and they all depend on the condition of the fields. What I mean by that, it depends if the corn is still standing or has been cut.

A standing cornfield is food and shelter to deer and thus they spend a lot of time in there, but not all of their time. If deer spend most of their time in the standing cornfield it can be though to hunt. The easiest way is to figure out where the deer move in and out of the field. Try to observe deer movement from a distance with a pair of good binoculars. Also check the hardwood ridge tops for available mast crop such as oaks. If there are oaks dropping then I am convinced the deer will travel from the field to the ridge top to feed on the oaks. Your job will be to figure out at what time the deer head to the oaks.

If the deer feed on the oaks during legal shooting light set up somewhere along the route the deer take from the field to the ridge top. Where that somewhere is will be revealed through scouting. It should be a narrow spot where several trails merge and funnel deer through a narrow gap past your stand.

Should your scouting reveal that the deer spend all the time, during legal shooting light, in the standing cornfield then you have no other option but to go after them. In my article Cirnfield Bucks I describe how to hunt bucks inside a cornfield.

If the cornfield is cut the game plan changes because the cover is gone. However, a cut cornfield is a deer magnet. Deer love a cut corn or bean field because they do not have to work the corn or bean out of the husk. The food is readily “pre-processed” available to them. Think of easy food intake without having to work for it. If the field has just been cut you will find that deer are difficult to pattern for a day or two. Don’t worry about it. It all will go back to normal again as soon as the deer figured out a new bedding to feeding travel pattern after their familiar pattern has suddenly been disturbed. Deer are masters at adapting to new situations.

Again, scout from a distance where and at what time the deer travel to and from the cut field. When the new travel pattern emerges find the travel routes the deer take from their bedding areas to the field and hang stands accordingly. My preference is to hang stands always a bit back in the woods where several trails merge into one, as opposed to directly at the food source. It's hard, if not downright impossible, to kill a deer with a bow directly at the food source. I recommend, as always, to hang several stands to accommodate different wind directions and entry/exit routes for you.

If anybody would like to add anything to this tip feel free and do so in the comment sections. The season has just started and if you get one with the bow let me know. Good luck and have a great time out there.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

To see more Questions & Answers read “Ask Othmar”

Tags: Bowhunting, Cornfields, Early Bowhunting Season

Early Season Antler Rattling

2009-10-01T21:17:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Yesterday I received an email from a hunter in Illinois. He had been wondering if rattling in the early season would work. Here is his question and my answer.

Q. I am wondering if antler rattling does work in the early season. When I asked hunters around here they each seem to have a different opinion. Some say it doesn't work, others say it works and still others say it scares deer that early in the season. What is your opinion based on experience?

A. It would take up several book pages to explain your question in detail. Rattling does not work. Tine tickling on the other hand does work quite well.

During the early part of the season female deer are not in heat and bucks do not engage in full blown out breeding rights and territorial fights. However, in the early season bucks do engage in sparring to test each others strength. In the early season I mimic sparring using a rattler bag. By gently clicking and grinding I have attracted consistently early season bucks.

But there is a whole lot more to it then just sit down and click antlers together in hopes of attracting a buck. Location is very important and so is the antler clicking sequence. Be on the wrong place or to aggressive and click for to long and you're liable to scare more deer off then you will see.

The important thing to remember is not to think of it as fighting but rather a friendly sparring competition among bucks and then match that with your rattling antlers or rattling bag. My average sparring imitations last up to 20 minutes but not continuously.

Like I said antler rattling and clicking is a very complex issue that would fill up many pages. Antler clicking is the least understood in terms of why it attracts deer of both sexes and all ages to the hunter. I have been studying this subject for many years and still have more questions than answers. Save to say that antler clicking is so effective that it is my number one early season deer attractant tool. In the early season I leave all the deer calls at home but I will not leave home on a hunt without my rattling bag.

On my website I have a new section called “Ask Othmar” where I post questions from hunters and my answers to it.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Antler Rattling, Early Hunting Season, Deer Hunting TEXT

Choosing The Right Treestand… (Series Conclusion)

2009-09-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Keeping you treestands in good shape:

How safe treestand hunting is depends not only on wearing a safety harness and using a quality stand but also on the maintenance of the stand. It all starts by carefully reading, understanding and following the owners and operation manual accompanying each treestand. Before each use and after the hunting season ends inspect your stands for wear and tear, especially the attachment belts, buckles, chains and cable. If you see a crack in the frame have it fixed by a manufacturer recommended professional. Worn parts should always be replaced with factory recommended parts. After the hunting season closes wash and repaint the stands and lubricate all the joints and moving parts; this will go a long way to avoid creaking and popping noises. Store the treestands in a dry place such as the garage or garden shed until next season. Purchasing a treestand is an investment that can greatly enhance your deer hunting success so keep it in good working order and you will get many years of use from one of the greatest inventions in deer hunting.

Conclusion:

Each of the different stand models I described in the previous posts has its advantages and disadvantages. In my opinion, a serious treestand hunter should own at least several hang-on stands, a climbing treestand and a ladder stand. This stand arsenal permits the hunter to pre-select several stand sites and quickly change locations from one stand to the next without any delay to wherever the deer action is. Owning several different stand models gives you the opportunity to use stands in a wide variety of situations and that often will make all the difference you need to be in the game.

No matter what stand model or brand you choose safety is of paramount concern. Each time a human leaves terra firma he or she is in danger of risking life and limb. Unlike birds we have no wings that take us safely back to earth from lofty heights. Treestand manufactures supply a safety harness with each treestand and they should be worn each time we hunt from a stand. Most of these safety harnesses also function as a lineman climbing belt or can be easily converted to one.

While most hunters these days wear a safety device once they are in the treestand, many hunters fail to realize that Falls from stands or climbing to and from one account for seventy-five percent of all hunting related accidents. From that figure more than eighty percent of accidents occur when climbing to and from your treestand. The rest of the accidents occur by careless use of the stand, malfunction and disrepair of the stand, ladders or safety equipment. By remembering a few simple common sense safety rules accidents with treestands can be greatly limited.

Treestand theft prevention:

It is an unfortunate fact of life that we share this planet with thieves and hunting is not excluded from it. Each year hunters head to their stands in anticipation of a good hunt only to realize that the stand has gone. There are several ways I have found that work really well in securing your stand against theft. One way is to never leave a stand in the woods. If it’s practical take the stand down after hunting. However, I am well aware from experience that it is not always practical to remove the stand after each hunt.

First no matter what color the stand is I’ll repaint them with a camouflage pattern resembling ASAT camouflage. This makes the stand next to invisible not only to deer but just as important to other hunters too. I observed hunters walking right under my stand and never notice anything. Heck, there have been times, before GPS, when I scratched my head looking in the treetops for my own stand. In addition I lock all my hang-on and ladder stands with a good quality bicycle chain to three. Ladder stands are not a big worry for me because I only set them up in the really thick stuff where most hunters wouldn’t dream to go.

If you use your ladder stand in the more open areas chain the stand to the tree with up to three heavy-duty steel chains and sturdy quality padlocks. The goal here is to make it as hard as possible for a treestand thief. The harder they have to work to get what they want the less likely it is that your stand will be stolen.

Once I installed my hang-on stands I remove the climbing sticks. Again I want to make it as hard as possible for a crook to access my stand. Somehow I don’t think that a thief would climb up a tree or go home to get a ladder just to steal my stand. It only takes me a few minutes to set up my climbing sticks and be ready to hunt, so it is not a big deal for me to take them down after each hunt and transport the sticks in and out of the woods.

Related articles:

Treestand Hunting Safety Tips

Choosing The Right Treestand for The Perfect Ambush (intro)
Choosing The Right Treestand…Hang-on-stands
Choosing The Right Treestand…Climbing Stands
Choosing The Right Treestand…Ladder stands
Choosing The Right Treestand…Tripod Stands
Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Treestands, Treestand Hunting Tips, Choosing the Right Treestand, Deer Hunting, Climbing Treestands, Ladder Treestands, Tripod Treestands

Choosing The Right Treestand… (Tripod Stand)

2009-09-02T19:46:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Tripod Stand:
This is not a treestand in the strictest sense because no tree is needed to set it up. The tripod stand is a self-supporting unit, but since it is listed under “treestands” in hunting goods catalogs and permits the hunter to get above the game I have included them here too. A tripod stand is the perfect choice to hunt brush country, marshes, corn and bean fields. This stand will get the hunter above the vegetation and lets him see into the thick tangled brush, corn and reed stems. Also here in British Columbia where we often glass large overgrown cut blocks for mule deer I have often thought that a tripod, set up on the edge of a woodlot, would come in handy.

Tripod stands are very heavy and take considerable time to set up. As the name suggests the tripod stand consists of three legs, one of which serves as a ladder to access the stand. At the top of the tripod a platform is installed and a seat. The better models feature a swivel seat affording a 360-degree view of the hunting area by simple swivelling around on the seat- a bit like an office chair. Tripod stands can be prone to tipping over in windy conditions or if the hunter suddenly shifts his weight from one to the other side. It is therefore advisable to add additional anchoring to the stand. This is simply achieved by attaching ropes at the point where the three legs meet under the standing platform and then tying the ropes onto metal or wooden spokes that have been driven into the ground around the tripod. Some manufacturers deliver an anchoring system with their tripods while others offer it as an after market product. Either way I strongly recommend using an anchoring system to improve the safety aspect of a tripod stand.

Portability:
Like the ladder stand the tripod too is not portable. The stand comes with many different parts and needs to be completely assembled. This takes time and due to the weight of up to 100 pounds and the consequent bulkiness, depending on the model, two to three people to assemble and set up. I never owned a tripod stand but at the drop of a hat O can think of at least two occasions where I wished I had one. One was in a cornfield that was home to some very large bucks and the other place was a cattail marsh that was the home to very large and smart buck.

In the next post we will look at maintaining a treestand to keep it in good working order and how to prevent treestand theft.

Related articles:
Treestand Hunting Safety Tips
Choosing The Right Treestand for The Perfect Ambush (intro)
Choosing The Right Treestand…Hang-on-stands
Choosing The Right Treestand…Climbing Stands
Choosing The Right Treestand…Ladder stands

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Treestands, Treestand Hunting Tips, Choosing the Right Treestand, Deer Hunting, Climbing Treestands, Ladder Treestands, Tripod Treestands

Choosing The Right Treestand… (Ladder Stand)

2009-09-02T19:20:00.001-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Ladder Stand:
As the baby boomer generation grows older these stands have become very popular in recent years. While not so long ago one had to look far and wide to find a good quality ladder stand, these days every treestand manufacturer offers a variety of models. Some ladder stand models are so roomy that they can accommodate up to two hunters, which is great for the father introducing his child to hunting.

The ladder stand is quite heavy and in most cases needs two people to set up. It’s also hands down the safest stand a hunter can use due to the fact that the stand remains in contact with the ground at all times. Because of that the stand is also easy to access and descend. Some of the better models, especially the ones designed for two people, are very comfortable to sit on with padded seat and back cushions. Ladder stands have an almost limitless application as long as there is a tree strong enough to lean a ladder against it will work for a ladder stand.

The downside with ladder stands is that they are very visible to deer and other hunters and at an average weight of 40 pounds plus the bulkiness they are not exactly easy to transport. However, in areas that have dense undergrowth and brushy trees where a hang-on or climbing stand would not work well a ladder stand will be perfect. These stands are also perfect for hunters that have one or two “hot spots” that produce deer every. On such places a ladder stand can be set up and left as permanent stand. Also hunters that are not very agile and need a stand that is easy to get in and out of will like the ease and comfort of the ladder stand.

Portability:
As mentioned earlier the ladder stand is quite heavy and bulky, plus it takes considerable time to put it together and set up. Considering all these factors the ladder stand is not what I call portable by any stretch of imagination. I have two ladder stands and having them has let me hunt places from an elevated position that would otherwise not have been possible with other stand models.

In the next post we will look at Tripod Stands.

Image courtesy of Gorilla Treestands

Related articles:
Treestand Hunting Safety Tips
Choosing The Right Treestand for The Perfect Ambush (intro)
Choosing The Right Treestand…Hang-on-stands
Choosing The Right Treestand…Climbing Stands

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Treestands, Treestand Hunting Tips, Choosing the Right Treestand, Deer Hunting, Climbing Treestands, Ladder Treestands

Choosing The Right Treestand… (Climbing Stand)

2009-09-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Climbing Stand:
The climbing treestand is almost as popular with hunters as the hang-on stand. Since the first stands of this type were introduced almost twenty years ago they have come a long way in regards to comfort, safety and ease of use. Some of the modern climbing stand models are every bit as comfortable as your favorite TV chair at home. The old, complicated-to-assemble and noisy rattletraps have been replaced by stands that need very little or no assembly at all. Modern climbing stands are light in comparison to the older models and with a bit of practice very quiet to transport and set up.

Climbing treestands, although easy to set up require considerable strength and agility to move them up a tree. Not only does the hunter have to move the weight of the stand up the tree but with the open frame models also his or her own weight too. Climbers come in two basic models: The sit-down-stand-up models and the hang on-and-pull models. Most of the so called “bowhunter climbers” are hang on-and-pull models. The sit-down-stand-up models are much easier to climb because you can sit down on the upper frame as you pull the lower platform up with your feet. The bowhunter models do not have that feature and the hunter has to hang on with his hands to the seat portion and then pull the standing platform up with his feet while his full body weight and that of the standing platform is fully suspended from his hands. Regardless of weather I hunt with bow or firearm I always use the full upper frame climbing treestand that permits me to sit down as I pull the lower platform up. I have never found that the full frame is in the way when I shoot the bow.

The problem with climbing stands is that they only can be used on straight trees of a relatively small diameter, most only will fit on trees not much larger than 12 to 14 inches in diameter. If the tree has low growing branches they need to be pruned flush with the trunk to enable climbing. This could lead to excessive pruning and loss of important cover.

Portability: For me the climbing treestand is a true run-and-gun stand. With this stand I can quickly change locations, set the stand up and be ready to hunt in a few minutes. The down side, as mentioned, is that you need straight trees of a relatively small diameter and it requires a certain amount of strength to climb up a tree with these stands. On the positive side a climbing treesrand can be converted into a very comfortable hang-on stand. Installing a climber as a hang-on stand is best done with two people. Simply climb up the tree to the desired height then have the other person lean a sturdy ladder on the tree so you can climb down. When you want to hunt that stand take a ladder with you or install a ladder directly onto the tree. To give a hunter true versatility and mobility I would recommend that you should own at least one climbing stand provided your hunting area featured enough straight trees.

In the next post we will look at ladder stands.

Image courtesy of Gorilla Treestands

Related articles:
Treestand Hunting Safety Tips
Choosing The Right Treestand for The Perfect Ambush (intro)
Choosing The Right Treestand…Hang-on-stands

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Treestands, Treestand Hunting Tips, Choosing the Right Treestand, Deer Hunting, Climbing Treestands

Choosing The Right Treestand… (Hang-on-Stand)

2009-08-30T19:07:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Choosing The Right Treestand for The Perfect Ambush (Hang-On-Stands)

Hang-on, or fixed, stands are the most commonly used stands. Of all the stand models this is the most versatile of all and relatively easy to set up. Hang-on stands come in a variety of designs and some even have features that let you adjust for leaning and bent tree trunks. The stand is a simple straightforward design consisting of a main beam with a sitting and standing platform attached. The seat and platform can be folded for compact transport and storage.

The stand is attached to the tree with a chain hook-up or webbing belt and ratchet, or cinch buckle, systems. Some stands require a stabilization cinch buckle belt to stabilize it to the tree. Other models use the standing platform to wedge the stand firmly against the tree trunk. I prefer the latter because it makes the stand rock solid on the tree without adding a second strap. Once the stand is secured to the tree the platform is pulled down, creating a lever action that firmly stabilizes the stand on the tree. There are also models that can be hooked onto brackets. The hunter can purchase as many treestand brackets as he wants and install them at different locations. This system has the advantage that only one stand is needed and if the hunter changes location all he has to do is to hook the stand onto the pre-installed brackets.

The hang-on stand is easy to transport and relatively light. Most hang-on stands weigh between 11 lbs to 17 lbs. Depending on the hunter’s physical ability it may make two persons necessary to set the stand up. With the variety of models and hook-up systems available there is barely a tree where this stand cannot be attached to, and that makes it one of the most popular models.

To mount and access the hang-on stand some sort of climbing device is necessary. There are two models of climbing sticks on the market. One model requires that the individual sections are connected together and then, with ratchet straps, attached to the tree truck. The other model consists of singe units that are individually connected to the tree. The single unit leader sections are especially handy if you have to navigate tree branches or bent tree trunks. Tree steps that can be individually screwed into the tree are another option and give great versatility but take a long time to install. I prefer the individual ladder type sections because it lets me navigate branches and bent tree trunks better than a solid 15-foot ladder stick.

Portability:

I do not consider the hang-on stand as a “run and gun” stand because set up takes at least five to ten minutes even for an experienced treestand hunter. However, these stands are affordable and having several stands set up at different locations does give a hunter the option to change locations quickly if need arises.

Usability:

As described above this stand model comes in a great variety of design, shapes and sizes. This variety makes this stand the most versatile of all. If there is a tree chances are it will accommodate at least one of the many hang-on stands available with relative ease. Many treestand hunters own at least a half dozen hang-on stands of various designs to accommodate a variety of trees and hunting situations.

In the next post we will look at climbing stands.

Image courtesy of: Gorilla Treestands

Related articles:
Treestand Hunting Safety Tips
Choosing The Right Treestand for The Perfect Ambush (intro)

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Treestands, Treestand Hunting Tips, Choosing the Right Treestand, Deer Hunting, Hang-On Treestands,Treestand Hunting Tips, Gorilla Treestands,

Choosing The Right Treestand for The Perfect Ambush

2009-08-29T15:20:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Over ninety percent of hunters prefer hunting from treestands and quite rightly so. Hunting from an elevated position will get the hunter above the sight and smell of animals. Hunting from a treestand, unlike other methods such as stalking and deer drives, is a low impact method which means that a hunter is less likely to get patterned by deer or alert them in other ways of his presence.

However, to make treestand hunting work to your advantage the often-overlooked factor of choosing the right stand model for you and the area you hunt is very important. Given the large variety of models and brands available, choosing the right treestand can be a daunting task. To help you make the right stand model choice we will look at the different models in the coming few days.

Basically treestands are divided into four models. These are: fixed position stands, climbing stands, ladder stands and although not strictly a treestand, tripod stands fall into that category too. Despite the variation of the stand models there are a few basics that apply to all treestands and treestand hunting.

Every hunter should be aware that no matter what type of stand is chosen they all require some agility and strength to transport and to set up. In the many years I have hunted from treestands I have yet to find a model that is comfortably light to transport for much more than a half-mile. Even the lightest models can be of considerable weight when combined with climbing sticks or screw-in steps. A light quality stand weighs around 10 to 14 pounds but add to that the weight of the steps at (give or take) another 6 to 8 pounds and you could end up with close to or just over 20 pounds that you have to haul on your back to your stand location.

I strongly recommend going with a stand that has been manufactured by a member of the Treestand Manufacturer Association (TMA). Members of this organization periodically undergo unannounced product safety and quality checks to guarantee quality of the materials and workmanship. Stands from TMA members usually are a little bit more expensive than those of non-TMA members. In my opinion a few extra dollars are well spent on a device that potentially could kill you if poorly manufactured with cheap materials. It is for the same reason that I do not recommend using a D-I-Y-stand made with 2 x 4’s nailed to a tree. These contraptions are just not safe to use in the long run.

A good treestand should have a decent sized standing platform of at least 20 inches by 29 inches and a comfortably sized and padded seat. There is nothing worse than sitting perched like a crow on a branch for up to six or more hours on an uncomfortable stand. An uncomfortable seat will make treestand hunting a battle of endurance and lead to fidgeting around and this in turn alerts deer to your presence.

The treestand has to be easy to install and hang onto the tree. It is a very different matter to hang a stand onto a tree with both feet on the ground compared to 15 feet, or higher, off the ground with your feet balancing on a narrow metal rod step and your upper body tied to the tree trunk. I like fixed stand models that come with a hanging bracket. This permits me to hang the stand onto the bracket that is previously attached to the tree trunk, freeing both my hands up to fasten the stand to the tree versus having only one hand free to install the stand.

In a climbing treestand I look for the same things as in a fixed stand: comfort and a decent sized standing platform. In addition I like climbing stands that can be quickly and quietly assembled with only a few pins. It is easy to assemble a stand in daylight with lots of different straps, nuts and bolts making the need for tools necessary. But try that same task before daylight, when most of these stands are assembled during a morning hunt and it will become a frustrating nightmare placing all the tiny nuts and bolts in the right position. Forget it if you happen to drop a small bolt in the dark, you never will find it again on the forest floor. Fortunately, treestand manufactures have become more concerned about practicality and offer modes that do not need any assembling.

In order for a treestand to be of any use as an element of a surprise ambush the stand has to be quiet to transport and to hunt from. A stand that rattles as you walk through the woods or is squeaking and popping each time you move on it is worthless. All stands can at times make a popping noise, especially when the temperature falls below freezing. Here I am talking about stands that produce noise constantly and in my experience stands with riveted rather than welded frames are the culprits.

To summarize what all stands should have in common:

A good quality stand wears the TMA seal of approval, is safe to use and comfortable to sit on, easy to install and quiet. The brand name of the stand is of no consideration to me. What is important is the model design. Discussing brands is like discussing cars. Each person has his or her favorite. There are those that like Fords and others who prefer Chevys. It’s the same with treestand brands. If you’re in the market for a new stand try out as many models as you can to find the one that comes close to suit your needs of comfort and the environment you intend to use the stand in.

In the next post we will look at fixed stands and what situations they suit best.

Related articles:
Treestand Hunting Safety Tips

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Treestands, Treestand Hunting Tips, Choosing the Right Treestand, Deer Hunting

Treestand Hunting Safety

2009-08-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

With the hunting season approaching fast hunters are getting ready. After scouting, which you hopefully have done by now, our next task is to hang the treestands. Hunting from a treestand is for many the preferred method of hunting. And quite rightly so. Treestands offer many advantages over other hunting methods. However, every time humans leave terra firma they expose themselves to certain risks that could get deadly in a heartbeat.

Treestand hunting is only safe if the person using them acts responsibly and pays attention to a few commonsense safety guidelines and here they are:

Never carry equipment with you while climbing. Use a haul line to raise or lower your gear. Make sure guns and crossbows are unloaded and broadheads are covered prior to raising or lowering firearms, crossbows, or bows.
Always use a climbing belt when climbing up or down a tree. Use a safety harness when hunting from elevated tree stands. Study manufacturer’s recommendations before using any equipment. Never use a rope to replace a safety harness.
Check permanent tree stands every year before hunting from them. Replace any worn or weak lumber.
Read, understand and follow the factory recommended practices and procedures when installing and using commercial stands. Inspect portable stands for loose nuts and bolts before each use.
Choose only healthy, living trees when using climbing devices. Rough-barked trees such as oak are best. Do not use a tree that is rotten or has dead limbs.
Never put all your weight on a single branch. Keep at least one hand and one foot on a secure place when reaching for the next hold.
Climb higher than the stand and step down onto it. Climbing up onto it can dislodge it.
Wear boots with non-skid soles, because steps or platforms can be slippery in rain, sleet or snow.
Never hunt from a treestand in high wind, lightening storm or under the influence of alcohol and medication that could impair your judgement and reactions.
Always make sure you choose a tree that is not over or under the tree diameter recommended by the stand manufacturer.
Tell a dependable person where you’re hunting and when you plan to return. Map your whereabouts and leave a note at camp, at home or in your vehicle so that you can be found.
If sleepy, move your arms and legs to promote blood circulation until you feel alert. Always be well rested before attempting to hunt from an elevated stand
Maintain your treestands regularly after each hunting season and store them in a dry place. Check the stand before each use for wear and tear.
Repair treestands only with manufacturer recommended parts.
As a precautionary measure, clear all debris, branches, rocks and other hard or pointy material from the ground below the tree stand.
Use updated equipment. Newer tree stand equipment is solid, safe and secure. Updated safety harnesses offer more protection than older ones.
Carry a whistle to call for help and carry a first aid kit, flashlight and cellular telephone in a fanny pack.
Before you hunt from a newly purchased treestand practice attaching and detaching it to/from the tree at about a foot or two of the ground. Stand and sit on it until you become absolutely familiar with the stand and how to set it up.
Only use stands that carry the approval rating seal of the Treestand Manufactures Association (TMA)

Make the best of treestand hunting

2009-08-20T15:24:00.001-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Over ninety percent of hunters prefer to hunt from treestands and quite rightly so. Hunting from an elevated position will get the hunter above the sight and smell of deer. In addition hunting from a treestand, unlike other methods such as stalking and deer drives, is a low impact method which means that a hunter is less likely to get patterned by deer or alert them in other ways of his presence. However, to get the full benefit of treestand hunting a hunter has to pay close attention to details in locating stand sites, placement of the stand and the treestand model that suits the habitat hunted best (see “related articles” in footnotes). In this column I’ll provide tips of how to choose the perfect location and how to place a treestand for maximum effect.

Proper treestand location starts with scouting (see “related articles” in footnotes) the area that deer will be using during the times you hunt. Obviously scouting should start well ahead of hunting season. Once you found out where the deer will be you need to find the right tree to hang the stand on. The right tree may not necessary be a “nice” tree with easy access. In fact, most perfect trees are in the thick stuff, bent, twisted or gnarly. The tree you select should be close to a trail with lots of deer traffic within shooting range of your bow or gun.

The ideal tree should also allow you to travel to and from it without running the risk of deer detecting you by sound, sight or smell. The tree will be downwind of where you expect deer to be and should have other suitable trees close by to position alternative stands for times when the wind is switching on you. Never underestimate the nose of a whitetail, even if you think that you did all you can to control human odour. Once a deer know you have been in the area it will only be a matter of time until it detects your stand and will vacate the area.

That brings me to the next item on the list of choosing the perfect tree to hang your stand. The ideal stand tree will provide you with good background cover form surrounding trees and other vegetation. There should also be sufficient cover to your left or right, depending from what direction deer approach your stand. If the deer approach from the left side then that is where you want the cover to be. Side cover ensures that deer will not be able to see you getting ready for the shot while they are still some distance away. Remember traveling deer are keenly aware of every movement in the vicinity and despite what you may think deer do look up into the trees.

Some hunters think that if they climb high into a tree, like 30 or more feet off the ground, deer will not be able to see them. Big mistake. The higher you climb the more likely you’re to run out of cover and get skylighted. In other words you will stick out like the proverbial sore thumb. Remember, deer look up and they can see you against the sky from much lower heights then you think possible. What about climbing high to get away from deer’s nose. If you stay lower your scent will linger around the base of the tree and you still can get a shot at a deer that comes close enough. On the other hand if you climb higher your scent will be carried off 150 yards maybe even more before descending to the ground. If a deer can smell you 150 yards away it surely will not come any closer. Advocates of high treestand placement often say that they never had a deer spook because it caught a whiff of the hunter. What these hunters don’t say, because they don’t know, is how many deer they miss seeing because the deer could smell the hunter long before it came into visual range of the hunter.

In the almost 20 years of exclusively hunting from stands I never felt the need to climb much over 20 feet high. I would say on average my stands are never higher than 12-18 feet off the ground. I am more concerned with being clean, having good surrounding background cover, wearing good head to toe camouflage such as ASAT and wind directions than with how high the stand is off the ground.

When we found the perfect tree, or tress, and placed our stand we need to prepare the site. After installing the stand on the tree I usually sit in it and look all around me searching for possible shooting lanes. Once I found good shooting lanes I look for obstacles that could interfere with the flight path of the arrow or bullet. Trimming shooting lanes is a tricky business. You want to trim enough branches to give you a free shooting lane but not trim too much so that you loose important cover. The rule here is the less you cut out the better.

While I am in the treestand I also scrape off all lose bark where I will rest my back against the tree. This will solve the potential problem of making unwanted noise when deer move by my stand. I also measure shooting distance with my range finder form my stand to specific landmarks in my shooting lanes. Next I use my bow or firearm and try out different shooting positions to familiarize myself with the situations that could occur when I am hunting. Next I use my bow or firearm and try out different shooting positions form the stand to familiarize my self with the situations that could occur when I am hunting.

After all that I am ready to hunt with confidence and that often has made all the difference in my treestand hunting success. There is only one more caution I would like to add. Hunting from a treestand is the best way I know of to hunt whitetail deer but it is also a dangerous way if you’re not careful and take safety precautions. Before using and installing a treestand carefully read the owners manual that comes with your stand and strictly follow the instructions and recommendations. Never ever climb into your stand, hunt from it or climb down after the hunt without wearing a full body safety harness. For additional safety only use quality made products such as the ones offered by Gorilla Treestands

Related articles:
The four cornerstones of scouting.
Choosing the right treestand for the perfect ambush.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Hunting Deer from Treestands, Deer Hunting, Treestand Tactics, Hunting Tips

Public land hunting tip

2009-08-13T17:17:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

I have often heard “There are no big bucks on public land”. Nothing could be further from the truth then that statement. Just because you don’t see any big bucks during hunting season doesn’t mean that they are not there. The bucks are there you just have to find them.

In order to find the big bucks forget scouting as you normally would. Instead scout for other hunters and what they do. Learn as much as possible about the other hunters habits, where they park their trucks, what routes they take to their stands, where they place the stands and finally what times they are coming and going.

Write your findings down on an aerial or topographical map and you soon will see a pattern appearing on the map. There will be areas that are absolutely void of any hunter presence and these are most likely the places bucks will go when the hunting pressure starts to build up. To get to these places deer use escape routes. Check these hunter free islands out and then determine on hand of the topography, availability of cover and the structure of the land how the deer get to these hunter free islands.

Come opening day you should have found several escape routes that the deer use to evade hunters. Set up stands along these escape routes that get you within easy bow range of deer. Then on opening morning be in your stand long before every other hunter arrives. Sit quietly in your stand and be prepared to see action as soon as the other hunters enter the woods.

Scouting for other hunters on public land has been so successful for my hunting that I never bother anymore trying to figure out what the deer are doing. I concentrate all my efforts on the other hunters and how I can use their movements to funnel deer past my stand. People are creatures of habit, doing the same things over and over again, so this tactic works any time of the season and anywhere.

I’ve arrowed my biggest public land buck, a respectable nine point, in a Illinois State Park just 40 yards next to a hunter parking lot in a thick bramble bush where no sane hunter ever would look. I discovered the buck hideout returning to my truck after another morning seeing nothing but squirrels from my treestand and loosing all hope of ever killing a buck on public land. It had snowed a bit all morning and on returning to my truck I noticed fresh deer tracks going between the parked trucks and leading into the thicket. These tracks had not been there when I arrived shortly before daylight. I followed the tracks, found the hideout and set up a stand. Three days later I went back to that stand and the rest is history as they say. That was almost 19 years ago.

Since that day I have become fond of public land hunting and outsmarting other hunters. I enjoy the look on the face of other hunters when I drag a deer out of the woods where it was believed they don’t exist.

This hunting tip has been brought to you by:
Othmar Vohringer - Smart Hunting Strategies (SHS)

Learn more about my popular deer hunting seminars and deer hunting courses.

Related article:
The Four Cornerstones Of Scouting

Early Season Scouting

2009-08-09T18:41:00.001-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

The early season can be a very though time to kill a big buck. The vegetation is lush which makes deer hard to see and food is plentiful. To find the perfect early season stand location a hunter has to consider what I refer to as the four factors of scouting. These factors are the building blocks for proper early season scouting.

The beauty is ones a hunter understands what the four factors are he can apply these anywhere and anytime during the deer hunting season and predict the best ambush locations for deer long before the deer use a given area. The four factors are; Food, Cover, Terrain and Structure. It is these factors that determine deer movement at any time during the season. A good hunter understands these factors and how they relate to each other.

I have written an article in which I explain the four factors and how they dictate deer movement patterns. Read the article and I guarantee that it will improve your early season scouting efforts.

Learn more about my widely acclaimed line of deer hunting seminars or our deer hunting courses.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Hunting season is soon here. Have you perfected your aim?

2009-08-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Hunting season is just around the corner. I can already it smell it. Here in British Columbia the archery season opens in most areas on the 1st of September. If you’re like me you knocked months ago on doors to gain permission to hunt new land. You already scouted and placed your treestands for the early season. But are you hitting exactly where you’re aiming at with your bow or rifle?

Fact is, that when everything is done right and that deer stands in front of you it all boils down to making that one shot count. Now is the time to head to the shooting range and hone your shooting skills and make necessary changes and not a day or two before deer season opens. During the hunting season we encounter every possible climate from the hot days of the early season to the bitter cold sub zero temperatures of the late season.

Did you know that shooting and holding a bow or firearm changes the more clothing you put on? I hold my bow or rifle different in the early season when I only wear a T-Shirt then in the late season when I am all dressed up like an Eskimo. In order to learn and get familiar with that difference I have to practice ahead of the season wearing different clothing. I always shoot wearing my hunting clothing including gloves and facemask.

I also practice shooting in different positions, such as from a treestand, leaning against a tree, kneeling, sitting and twisting my upper body backward. In short, ones my bow or firearm is sighted in I do all my practice shooting under simulated hunting conditions. This type of practice has given me the confidence to take any shot that might present itself in the whitetail deer woods. When the buck stands in front of me the last thing I want to worry about is if I can make that shot. In addition as a ethical hunter I want to make absolutely sure that I can accurately hit what I am aiming at under any condition that might present itself.

Don’t leave your shooting to chance or guessing. Head to the range now don’t leave it until a few days before hunting season opens. Knowing your abilities and limitations will make you a better and consequently a more successful hunter.

Learn more about my widely acclaimed line of deer hunting seminars or our deer hunting courses.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Is this for real?

2009-04-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

This image is making the rounds on the Internet for quite some time now. It was only a matter of time until it would end up in my email inbox. Yesterday someone sent me this picture titled: Best bowkill on camera. But is it real or is the image made up in photoshop or some other photo-manipulating program?

Whenever I cam across this image on the Internet I discovered that it unleashed a hot discussion of real versus fake. Lucky me I am married to a photographer and graphic design artist. My wife knows a thing or two about manipulating images so I asked her to take a look at it.

Here verdict after close examination. This image is one hundred percent fake.

The buck looks dead as in laying on the ground and then has been cut out and placed into a background that might be taken my a game cam. Notice the pile of corn at the bottom right corner of the image.
The blood splatters have been painted in. I had no clue but I am told by my wife that photo draw programs come with a variety of “brushes” that let you paint anything from a house to a tree and mountain, or in this case, blood into an image.

Knowing an animal’s anatomy I paid close attention to the muscles. If a buck jumps up in the air, as this one appears to be doing, you wpuld see the hind leg muscles bulging from the strain and force needed to leap that high. But I can’t see any muscle strain. In fact all the muscles are relaxed as they would appear on a dead deer.

There seems to be also something wrong with the buck’s eyes. Usually the color of the eye is black when you take a picture of a life deer but will reproduce white on a dead deer. These eyes are white.

Then there are the other factors to consider. When a deer jumps up like that it happens very fast so fast in fact that the camera cannot capture the movement without blur unless the photographer uses what’s called a fast lens with a wide aperture and the camera is set at around 800 to 1000 ISO. No game camera is capable of "freezing" fast movement not even with a flash.

With all these observations and my wife’s professional opinion I came to the conclusion that this image is as fake as a water turtle in the Sahara.

What’s your take on it?

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Whitetail Deer Contest Winner

2009-03-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

We have a winner of the 2009 Whitetail Deer Contest. The numbers have been entered into a special computer program and after a few seconds this years winner was established.

The contest prize, a double DVD set of Whitetail Revolution donated by Versus Country goes to entry number 01 entered by Vera Ely. Congratulations Vera to a magnificent buck and winning the prize of Whitetail Deer Contest 2009. I also would like to take this opportunity to tank all the hunters that entered the contest. You’re all winners for keeping the hunting heritage alive and taking part in the conservation of our natural recourses.

Here is the winning entry story and picture again.

Vera Ely took this magnificent 8 pointer weighing 200 pounds on November. 22, 2008 at 9:15am.
“I used a Remington model 7,308 caliber, to harvest this trophy at approximately 45 yards. The weather was a cold-frosty 15 degrees. I had always heard about bucks in full rut and I finally got to experience this in Pennington Gap, VA on my Father's farm. I strongly believe in all the no scent tactics especially since I was on the ground. This memory will last a life time.”

Here are the other entries of this contest.

entry number two (2)
entry number three (3)
entry number four (4)

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: Whitetail Deer Buck, Deer Hunting Contest, Remington Model Seven

Whitetail Deer Contest: Entry 4

2009-02-10T18:26:00.000-08:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Kevin Devault sent me his contest entry and tells me that he went out bowhunting during a snowstorm, as you can see in the picture, in Wisconsin’s late archery season. The nice eight pointer buck, not the biggest he has seen, is prove that late season still can produce some good buck hunting. The chances are even better when you go hunting during weather like Kevin did, because these are the days most hunters stay home.

Kevin used a Renegade bow with Easton arrows topped Muzzy 125 grain broadheads. Kevin said the snow was coming down so hard that he had to follow the buck immediately after the shot, as the snow would have covered the tracks otherwise.

You can see in the picture how hard the snow came down on that day. Congratulations on a nice Wisconsin archery buck Keving and good luck in the contest.

To take part in the Whitetail Deer Contest 2009 read here.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: Whitetail Deer Buck, Deer Hunting Contest, Bowhunting, Wisconsin

Whitetail Deer Contest: Entry 3

2009-01-29T16:50:00.001-08:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Bill Brown from Martinsburg, WV sent me the following story and picture to enter in the Whitetail Deer Contest. “Land of Giants” seems appropriate when I look at the picture of his beautiful long timed buck. Congratulations Bill.

The Rut was on… So I decided it was time to hunt in the “Land of the Giants”.
This area was saved for the Rut.

Saturday Nov. 8 - 3 small Bucks on the move but no shooters.
Monday Nov. 10 - 3 more Bucks but no Wall Hangers. Most of the deer were traveling a
trail where I had not cleared a shooting lane. Since it was my first time hunting in this stand I noticed it wouldn’t take much pruning to clear a lane. At lunch I asked my hunting partner to help clear out a lane. His come back was “No time like now”. That evening we choose a different area to hunt. I harvested a mature doe.
Tuesday Nov 11 The Perfect Morning, no wind, frost on the ground and 28 deg. I took a doe at 7:05 I drug her under my stand. No sooner than I got back in my tree stand I saw a nice buck chasing a doe. She came thru the new lane but he lost interested. Then I looked to the left another huge doe was walking broad side. I couldn’t pass her up. I shot her @ 7:40 she crashed within site.

One hour later I was thinking what a good morning Two does. About 15 mins. later another doe came thru the new lane. I thought…. 3 would be a charm. She seemed to be calm I was going to take her. Then 2 more came running. As I set up I hoped for a buck chasing them. There he was. He had a nice rack. He stopped half way in the new lane and turned and looked towards my stand as I let the bolt fly. It looked like a good hit. I was out of bolts so I only waited a short while to look for him. No Blood… No Bolt… for 75 yards. Finally I found a good blood trail. I hung my hat in the tree and left. I went to my truck and field dressed the 2 does. By then it was 11 o’clock. Two of my hunting buddies Dave, Charlie & I went on the search. I located my hat & continued on the blood trail. Charlie was following the blood trail, Dave was circling and I was scouting the woods. I asked Charlie, do we still have blood? As he answered yes I looked about 40 yards away. I said WOW what a HOG!!!! Dave met up with us.

The celebration was on for me. Calling friends & Picture taking this was my second trophy buck this season. It took all 3 of us to get him back to my truck. Field dressed weight was estimated to be 200-220 lbs. 8 points with a 19 inch inside spread. I can’t gun hunt on this property but I will be using my crossbow during gun season.

To take part in the Whitetail Deer Contest 2009 read here.

Outdoors with Othmar Vohringer

Tags: Whitetail Deer Buck, Deer Hunting Contest

Whitetail Deer Contest: Entry 2

2009-01-27T07:54:00.000-08:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

CTCampers sent me his story and a picture of his Nebraska buck to enter into the contest. Just look at the mass in the antlers of that buck it’s a hog of a deer. Congratulations CTCampers and good luck in the contest.

The deer was taken 11/15/08 on the first morning of rifle season in Nebraska. It was shot with a Savage model 16 300 wsm, Winchester super X 180 grain. The B.C. green score was 221 the official score gross is 215 7/8 and net is 208 3/8, 26 point non-typical.

The deer was on top of a terrace at 160 yds. away with no angel to shot I had to move out of the trees to get a shot on him. He moved towards the fence line and I shot its about 130 yds. away and I thought he jumped the first shot and he turned and ran the bottom side of the terrace so I racked another round into the chamber he was on a dead run at 160 yds away when I shot the second time. He went on his back legs in the air and turned so he was facing the way he just come. The deer went about 30 yds. and dropped to the ground. I had hit him both times.

To take part in the Whitetail Deer Contest 2009 read here.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: Whitetail Deer Buck, Deer Hunting Contest

Whitetail Deer Contest: Entry 1

2009-01-26T06:49:00.001-08:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Vera Ely took this magnificent 8 pointer weighing 200 pounds on November. 22, 2008 at 9:15am.
“I used a Remington model 7,308 caliber, to harvest this trophy at approximately 45 yards. The weather was a cold-frosty 15 degrees. I had always heard about bucks in full rut and I finally got to experience this in Pennington Gap, VA on my Father's farm. I strongly believe in all the no scent tactics especially since I was on the ground. This memory will last a life time.” I bet it will Vera. Congratulations and thank you for sharing that beautiful buck with us.

To take part in the Whitetail Deer Contest 2009 read here.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: Whitetail Deer Buck, Deer Hunting Contest, Remington Model Seven

Whitetail Deer Contest 2009

2009-01-25T17:05:00.000-08:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

The last contest had been a huge success. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control I had to end it before the date stated. To accommodate all those that sent entries but couldn’t be posted and for all those that asked me when the next contest would be held, I am going make another contest.

The prize for the winning entry is very special and has been provided by the good folks at Versus Country - home of the best hunting shows on TV.

The winning prize for this year’s contest is a 2-disc set of Whitetail Revolution with over three hours of pure hunting excitement and thrills to be enjoyed by the avid whitetail deer hunter. Whitetail Revolution features an all-star cast of North America’s top whitetail deer experts: Larry Weishuhn, Mark Kayser, Ron Spomer and Mike Hanback. These avid hunters travel to the far corners of the North American continent in search of the biggest whitetail bucks while demonstrating aggressive hunting tactics from rattling to spot-and-stalk to deer drives. These experts share their secrets and combined wealth of knowledge for more accurate tracking and rattling in the monster buck of your dreams. Besides the exciting hunts and know-how, Mike Hanback shares with you the locations and profiles of the continent’s best whitetail deer hunting locations. This DVD set is a must-have for every serious whitetail hunter.

Whitetail Deer Contest 2009 rules:

The contest is open from January 26, 2009 and closes on February 28, 2009 midnight (Pacific Time Zone).

All legally taken deer (doe and bucks of all sizes) with bow, crossbow, muzzleloader, shotgun and rifle are accepted. Each entry will be numbered. On the closing date the numbers will be entered into the computer and the winner will be established through a random number chosen by a special computer’s “random number program”.

Only one submission per family and only by the hunter who legally took the deer is permitted to enter the contest. The only expectation to this rule is where a parent or other legal guardian enters the contest on behalf of an underage child.

All entries will be posted here at Whitetail Deer Passion in the order they are received. By entering the contest the contestant grants Whitetail Deer Passion and Othmar Vohringer Outdoors all rights to republish the story and picture in any way we see fit for promotion or publication in other outlets such as print or web based media.

The winning contestant will be personally notified after February the 28, 2009.

Contest submission guideline:

The entry picture should depict the animal in a non-offensive and ethical manner. (No blood and guts picture). Submit the picture with a short description of the hunt (no more than a paragraph or two), plus some technical data such as type, model and brand of bow or firearm, ammunition, arrow, broadhead, treestand, blind, camouflage, scent and other “gadgets” that were used on that hunt. Also include the name and age of the hunter and the location where the deer was taken and the weather conditions plus what time (morning, afternoon, evening) of day the deer was shot.

So lets get cracking and send these entries in by email and may your entry be the winner of Versus Country 2-set DVD Whitetail Revolution.

Tags: Big Deer Contest, Deer Hunting, Whitetail Revolution DVD, Versus Country, Whitetail Deer Passion, Big Deer Contest Rules