Few things fire up deer hunters more than changes to their season, and in the past two decades, Wisconsin has seen plenty of fired-up hunters. Many newly proposed hunting policies, some of which were enacted, have been met with public dissension. The latest debates stem from the Wisconsin DNR Spring...
Most nicknames are earned. They’re worn as a badge of honor, dishonor or plain old mockery. My most notable hunting handle all started on a youth upland bird hunt sponsored by Quail and Pheasants Forever , where I shot a stocked pheasant hen. Of course, while Kentucky does have native...
Spring squirrel hunting is an opportunity many of us overlook, and a family tradition for others. The following states offer short spring seasons or longer seasons that stretch into next year. Many of the same sit-and-wait or spot-and-stalk tactics you use in the fall and winter work now, too. Arkansas...
I have seen a lot of gobblers come running like racehorses out of the gate and die with honor, dodge swarms of shot to live again, and, like the sun on an overcast spring day, never show. Win or lose, I loved every one of them. Yet when I was...
Rays of light cast through timber and glint off ivory tines. A series of throaty grunts cascade off surrounding cedars. Hairs stand at attention as the bow string slowly inches backward. A primitive, timeless moment of truth is seconds away, and every nerve in my body knows it. Deer season...
Late-season gobblers are a mystery sometimes. Is it over? Are they done? Fortunately, the answer is always no. Breeding may wane, but turkeys talk to each other every day of the year. As the sun rises earlier each day, inching toward late spring, you lose more and more sleep. Sure,...
Wild turkeys have big appetites. From large-bodied adults to broods of rapidly growing poults, they require considerable amounts of food. Their diets are varied, not only by region but by the season. Think of them as foodies of the bird world, with about a hundred different dietary items on the...
In November of 2019, paralyzed whitetail fawns were found in multiple locations on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, prompting an investigation from area agencies and universities. “From early November to mid-December 2019, MassWildlife received reports of deer displaying signs of paralysis in West Tisbury and Chilmark on Martha’s Vineyard. Six affected...
Coronavirus has millions of Americans twiddling thumbs, kicking rocks and grimacing at the stock market. In a fast-paced society that came to a screeching halt, boredom and depression quickly entered households everywhere. Unfortunately, that’s life right now. But you can still make the most of it. While some people are...
I travel for whitetails a lot. No two states I’ve ever been to use the same tagging and checking system. After digging a little further, I couldn’t find twin systems anywhere in the nation. There are numerous crazy differences in reporting harvests across America. Behind the Regs The extreme differences...
Social distancing? Yep, this season is different. While it’s true I’ve happily gotten together with my tight-knit group of longtime gobbler chasers on hunts around the country for decades, certain local buds have also called me “the lone wolf” over the years. I’m okay with that, as I like to...
Deer season is still five or more months away for most of us, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t already making headlines. There’s a lot going on in the deer hunting world right now. Here’s the latest roundup of news you need to know. 2019 Harvest Reports Trickling In Several...
