Chris Avena 's Entries

• 22 Sep 2011
  Bowhunting Imagery For Better Shots

  Half the battle of executing the perfect shot is mental. Use imagery to connect on your next shot. by Jack Young Imagine that you’re making the perfect shot—that’s when it will happen. Once you’ve mastered the physical aspects of shooting a bow it’s your mind that dictates shooting efficiency. Shooting well, especially under pressure, is largely about controlling anxiety. Bowhunting is a theater of unpredictability, buck-fever, even target panic feeding on this inherent uncertainty. The more important a “trophy,” the higher the degree of stress. Begin With Breathing Exercises Soothing performance anxiety begins with simple breathing exercises. Start by inhaling slowly, deeply, and evenly through your nose. Hold that breath momentarily before gently exhaling through your mouth. Each time you exhale, silently mouth the word “relax.” After even a few breaths you should feel your nerves calming. Use Imagery For Positive Performance Studies of elite athletes also prove mental imagery affects success. An all-sensory experience promotes positive physical performance. Imagery creates a mental map for performance by fostering confidence and reducing performance anxiety. Imagery, unlike simple visualization, includes feelings of movement, sound, smells, and emotions. It requires practice to summon on demand. In imagery, the deer hunter does not simply see his arrow zipping through vitals, he hears crunching leaves as the deer approaches and acorns rattling through oak branches. He smells the dank forest. In his imagination, he sees that the correct pin is placed just so and the arrow releases smoothly. He follows through with a sense of determination. The subsequent sounds of the shot and feel of riser jumping are also part of the experience. The ultimate goal is to develop vividness and clarity. Even the nervous energy involved helps stimulate the senses. Control Thoughts, And Beware Imagery Pitfalls Imagery is helpful, but also understand that it can turn destructive. Seeing yourself crumble or missing an easy shot is hardly helpful. Controlled imagery provides the opportunity to correct past errors and create positive results. Should negative thoughts arise, imagine a literal STOP sign. At the STOP, redirect thoughts by recalling a past success and replicating it on your mind’s eye, with yourself in the role of successful performer. With time you can apply mental imagery in conjunction with physical action to create more productive shooting practice. Don’t simply plunk one mechanical arrow after another into a block target. Set up 3-D targets in realistic settings and approach them as if they were the real thing. Talk Yourself Through The Shot It’s important on occasion to talk to yourself sternly (if silently) through an impending shot. Sometimes you simply have to remind yourself of each important step in the shooting sequence; especially shooting form. Most often, you have to tell yourself to slow down. The pressured mind often loses its ability to accurately account for passing time. Everything seems to occur in a blur when nothing has actually changed. Forgive Yourself, Move On Just as importantly, don’t let a single failure defeat you mentally. Develop the ability to forgive yourself, leave the past behind. Learn from mistakes and turn them into positive experiences. Tell yourself, “Glad that’s out of the way. Now I’m ready.” This is more productive than allowing self-doubt to fester and grow. It takes willpower. Use positive mental imagery to create that will. Success breeds confidence. While experienced bowhunters certainly become selective as years pass, this does not mean they cannot use the occasional confidence booster. Off-season wild boars, does during regular seasons, and small game all help support that confidence.

  2349 Posted by Chris Avena
• By Chris Avena

  Bowhunting Imagery For Better Shots

  Half the battle of executing the perfect shot is mental. Use imagery to connect on your next shot. by Jack Young Imagine that you’re making the perfect shot—that’s when it will happen. Once you’ve mastered the physical aspects of shooting a bow it’s your mind that dictates shooting efficiency. Shooting well, especially under pressure, is largely about controlling anxiety. Bowhunting is a theater of unpredictability, buck-fever, even target panic feeding on this inherent uncertainty. The more important a “trophy,” the higher the degree of stress. Begin With Breathing Exercises Soothing performance anxiety begins with simple breathing exercises. Start by inhaling slowly, deeply, and evenly through your nose. Hold that breath momentarily before gently exhaling through your mouth. Each time you exhale, silently mouth the word “relax.” After even a few breaths you should feel your nerves calming. Use Imagery For Positive Performance Studies of elite athletes also prove mental imagery affects success. An all-sensory experience promotes positive physical performance. Imagery creates a mental map for performance by fostering confidence and reducing performance anxiety. Imagery, unlike simple visualization, includes feelings of movement, sound, smells, and emotions. It requires practice to summon on demand. In imagery, the deer hunter does not simply see his arrow zipping through vitals, he hears crunching leaves as the deer approaches and acorns rattling through oak branches. He smells the dank forest. In his imagination, he sees that the correct pin is placed just so and the arrow releases smoothly. He follows through with a sense of determination. The subsequent sounds of the shot and feel of riser jumping are also part of the experience. The ultimate goal is to develop vividness and clarity. Even the nervous energy involved helps stimulate the senses. Control Thoughts, And Beware Imagery Pitfalls Imagery is helpful, but also understand that it can turn destructive. Seeing yourself crumble or missing an easy shot is hardly helpful. Controlled imagery provides the opportunity to correct past errors and create positive results. Should negative thoughts arise, imagine a literal STOP sign. At the STOP, redirect thoughts by recalling a past success and replicating it on your mind’s eye, with yourself in the role of successful performer. With time you can apply mental imagery in conjunction with physical action to create more productive shooting practice. Don’t simply plunk one mechanical arrow after another into a block target. Set up 3-D targets in realistic settings and approach them as if they were the real thing. Talk Yourself Through The Shot It’s important on occasion to talk to yourself sternly (if silently) through an impending shot. Sometimes you simply have to remind yourself of each important step in the shooting sequence; especially shooting form. Most often, you have to tell yourself to slow down. The pressured mind often loses its ability to accurately account for passing time. Everything seems to occur in a blur when nothing has actually changed. Forgive Yourself, Move On Just as importantly, don’t let a single failure defeat you mentally. Develop the ability to forgive yourself, leave the past behind. Learn from mistakes and turn them into positive experiences. Tell yourself, “Glad that’s out of the way. Now I’m ready.” This is more productive than allowing self-doubt to fester and grow. It takes willpower. Use positive mental imagery to create that will. Success breeds confidence. While experienced bowhunters certainly become selective as years pass, this does not mean they cannot use the occasional confidence booster. Off-season wild boars, does during regular seasons, and small game all help support that confidence.

  Sep 22, 2011 2349
• 08 Jul 2011
  New York Hunting Groups Back Protection of Young Bucks

  A coalition of sporting groups is urging the Department of Environmental Conservation to ban hunting of yearling bucks in parts of southern New York, saying the new approach to deer management has led to dramatic improvement in the deer herd.   ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A coalition of sporting groups is urging the Department of Environmental Conservation to ban hunting of yearling bucks in parts of southern New York, saying the new approach to deer management has led to dramatic improvement in the deer herd in pilot areas. Some hunters oppose a mandatory restriction on hunting yearlings, also called spikehorns, saying it's unfair to hunters and hard to enforce. The proposed restriction, affecting parts of Sullivan, Ulster, Delaware, Greene and Schoharie counties, is part of DEC's new five-year deer management plan. The agency is taking comments through July 28. David Hartman, president of the New York State Whitetail Management Coalition, says Tuesday that hunters in Ulster and Sullivan counties have harvested the biggest bucks since the late 1920s in antler restriction areas.

  1001 Posted by Chris Avena
• By Chris Avena

  New York Hunting Groups Back Protection of Young Bucks

  A coalition of sporting groups is urging the Department of Environmental Conservation to ban hunting of yearling bucks in parts of southern New York, saying the new approach to deer management has led to dramatic improvement in the deer herd.   ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A coalition of sporting groups is urging the Department of Environmental Conservation to ban hunting of yearling bucks in parts of southern New York, saying the new approach to deer management has led to dramatic improvement in the deer herd in pilot areas. Some hunters oppose a mandatory restriction on hunting yearlings, also called spikehorns, saying it's unfair to hunters and hard to enforce. The proposed restriction, affecting parts of Sullivan, Ulster, Delaware, Greene and Schoharie counties, is part of DEC's new five-year deer management plan. The agency is taking comments through July 28. David Hartman, president of the New York State Whitetail Management Coalition, says Tuesday that hunters in Ulster and Sullivan counties have harvested the biggest bucks since the late 1920s in antler restriction areas.

  Jul 08, 2011 1001
• 24 Jun 2011
  Gargantuan Bruins

  by Mike Strandlund, Editor, Bowhunting World     The size of paw tracks, bear bed depressions, claw marks, and dung will tell you if there’s a big bruin nearby.     Americans have been enthralled with hunting black bears ever since Davy Crockett killed “hiself a bar when he was only three.” But settling your sights on a better-than-average specimen, a fall bruin that tips the scales at 300 pounds or better, is not so an easy task even for Davy. What is the secret to success? You have to interpret the sign these big bears leave behind correctly. Here are four clues that point to the whereabouts of a book bruin. TRACKS Generally, a black bear with a front pad measuring five or more inches across is a boar, and a candidate for the Pope & Young Club. But stumbling upon a big track is no guarantee you will ever see that bear again…unless he is regularly frequenting a nearby food source. A big boar will put his paws in the same place each time he visits the site, eventually leaving a trail of pie-plate size impressions on the ground. A big male will also slowly step over a log leaving a front footprint near its edge whereas sows will step six inches to a foot past the log in their haste to get to the goodies. BEAR TRAILS Boars are super-cautious when they eat and will often circle an old apple orchard or man-made bait pile before committing themselves to the setup. Why? The last thing they want now is a close encounter with a bigger male for surely a brawl will ensue. Look for a faint trail that lies just within sight of the food source. You may have to get down on your hands and knees and examine the forest duff carefully, but locating such sign separates the casual bear hunter from the real experts. A depression in the leaves will indicate where the bear lay down to keep tabs on the site until near dark, giving you yet another clue as to his body size. Indeed, pay close attention to any bear bed exceeding 40 inches in length. BEAR DROPPINGS Bear poop can also indicate a bear’s body size. A coil the diameter of a soft drink can, for example, indicates a mature boar’s presence. Again, no guarantee you will ever see this bruin, but when droppings are deposited on a trail leading to a food source, it usually indicates the boar is laying claim to the site. It may take two to four days before the boar returns, and even so it may be under the cover of darkness. Try depositing dung from another bear on the same trail, and see if the challenge pays off with an early sighting. BEAR CLAWS Big bears do not climb trees! Don’t be fooled by this old wives’ tale. Giant bears often climb aspen trees in the spring, and cherry and beech trees in the fall to feed, as evidenced by claw markings six to eight inches in width escalating vertically along the tree’s trunk. Average bears leave markings half that in width. If the scars are fresh and there is still food in the tree, he’ll be back.

  1386 Posted by Chris Avena
• By Chris Avena

  Gargantuan Bruins

  by Mike Strandlund, Editor, Bowhunting World     The size of paw tracks, bear bed depressions, claw marks, and dung will tell you if there’s a big bruin nearby.     Americans have been enthralled with hunting black bears ever since Davy Crockett killed “hiself a bar when he was only three.” But settling your sights on a better-than-average specimen, a fall bruin that tips the scales at 300 pounds or better, is not so an easy task even for Davy. What is the secret to success? You have to interpret the sign these big bears leave behind correctly. Here are four clues that point to the whereabouts of a book bruin. TRACKS Generally, a black bear with a front pad measuring five or more inches across is a boar, and a candidate for the Pope & Young Club. But stumbling upon a big track is no guarantee you will ever see that bear again…unless he is regularly frequenting a nearby food source. A big boar will put his paws in the same place each time he visits the site, eventually leaving a trail of pie-plate size impressions on the ground. A big male will also slowly step over a log leaving a front footprint near its edge whereas sows will step six inches to a foot past the log in their haste to get to the goodies. BEAR TRAILS Boars are super-cautious when they eat and will often circle an old apple orchard or man-made bait pile before committing themselves to the setup. Why? The last thing they want now is a close encounter with a bigger male for surely a brawl will ensue. Look for a faint trail that lies just within sight of the food source. You may have to get down on your hands and knees and examine the forest duff carefully, but locating such sign separates the casual bear hunter from the real experts. A depression in the leaves will indicate where the bear lay down to keep tabs on the site until near dark, giving you yet another clue as to his body size. Indeed, pay close attention to any bear bed exceeding 40 inches in length. BEAR DROPPINGS Bear poop can also indicate a bear’s body size. A coil the diameter of a soft drink can, for example, indicates a mature boar’s presence. Again, no guarantee you will ever see this bruin, but when droppings are deposited on a trail leading to a food source, it usually indicates the boar is laying claim to the site. It may take two to four days before the boar returns, and even so it may be under the cover of darkness. Try depositing dung from another bear on the same trail, and see if the challenge pays off with an early sighting. BEAR CLAWS Big bears do not climb trees! Don’t be fooled by this old wives’ tale. Giant bears often climb aspen trees in the spring, and cherry and beech trees in the fall to feed, as evidenced by claw markings six to eight inches in width escalating vertically along the tree’s trunk. Average bears leave markings half that in width. If the scars are fresh and there is still food in the tree, he’ll be back.

  Jun 24, 2011 1386
• 24 Jun 2011
  Planning A Wilderness Hunt

  In the wilderness, deer hunting becomes a special experience that is unforgettable. by Keith Sutton   In wilderness areas, undisturbed by humans and development, white-tailed deer often grow old and reach large sizes. Today, more and more deer hunters are looking for ways to escape the trappings of civilization. The bustle of our technological society has created a compulsion to log as much time in the backcountry as possible. Deer season offers that chance. Unfortunately, large tracts of backcountry are harder and harder to find. What outdoorsman has not experienced the disappointment of returning to a favored hunting spot only to find it forever altered? Perhaps a “No Trespassing” sign has gone up, or land development is occurring. As human populations grow, such experiences increase. Fortunately, the Wilderness Act of 1964 set aside undeveloped lands where hunters still can enjoy a get-away-from-it-all experience. Congress, in the Act, defined wilderness as “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain ...” Our country is blessed with hundreds of statutory wilderness areas encompassing millions of acres of prime deer habitat. These lands are remote enough to offer total solitude. On a wilderness trek, you say goodbye to the world’s troubles and welcome the backcountry. Hunting wilderness area deer isn’t care-free, though. These pristine tracts are open only to those willing to overcome the distance and rugged terrain with their nomad home on their back. Austerity is a prerequisite, for everything the hunter needs to survive and pursue his quarry must be packed in on foot or horseback. Wilderness deer hunting doesn’t begin at dawn, break at noon and end at dusk. It is a total sporting existence lasting every minute of every day and night spent in the wild. The U.S. Forest Service offers this reminder to wilderness explorers: “As a wilderness area visitor, be aware you are entering a primitive environment where you will be faced with the challenge of being entirely self-sufficient for whatever time you plan to remain there. There are no shelters, campgrounds, tables, fire grates, water spigots or detailed trail signs. You will be either afoot or on horseback, because no motorized vehicles are permitted in these areas. You will meet and live with nature on its own terms, and become familiar with the sometimes scary feeling of being completely on your own far from the nearest trace of civilization.” For most, however, the rewards of a wilderness hunting experience far exceed the investments. My friend Bill Jones has been hunting deer in wilderness areas for decades, backpacking in and camping up to nine days. The allure of these natural sanctuaries keeps drawing him back.   Glynn Harris of Ruston, La. approaches a buck killed on a wilderness hunting trip. The chance to get away from crowds and into unfettered backcountry draws a few hardy hunters to wilderness areas.  “When I’m walking into a wilderness area, I can feel the stress draining away,” Jones says. “You might spend a whole day and not see another individual. The only noise you hear, other than woodland sounds, might be the low drone of an airplane. It’s quiet, allowing you contemplate the reason for your existence. It’s almost a religious experience.” Preparedness, says Jones, is important to enjoying wilderness experiences. Hunters should be in top physical condition and well versed in first aid, orienteering and outdoor cookery. “You might be miles from the nearest road,” he says. “There are no vehicles, nobody to take care of you. So you must know all your camping skills and be able to take care of health and safety on your own. Getting lost is most likely to happen, so be sure you’re an accomplished map reader. Leave a map with family or friends so someone knows where you are and when you’re expected to return.” Some hunters are drawn to wilderness areas because chances of bagging a trophy buck are excellent. Reduced hunting pressure means bucks live longer and grow bigger. For some people, though, bagging a deer is secondary to the aesthetics of a wilderness hunt. “Our group has hunted one wilderness area for eight seasons, and we’ve only killed two deer,” Jones says. “But we keep going back because of the way it makes you feel. I realize once I’m out there how important my family is to me. In fact, I realize how important everything around me is. I think, what in the world would I do without GORE-TEX? How do you suppose an Indian would have lived through that rainstorm in a buffalo robe? It puts things in perspective. “As you get to the last night,” he continues, “you sit around the campfire, and you know tomorrow you must go back to the real world. It gets emotional sometimes because you know you won’t have this exact same experience again. Before you’ve even left, you’re already thinking about the next trip.” The thrills of deer hunting are one reason for a wilderness visit. But if you go to all the trouble of journeying into these remote places for just one purpose — hunting — you’re wasting your energy and missing the point. The common denominator of wilderness areas is their difference from the tame lands you leave behind. Learn to comprehend the difference, then you will truly enjoy the soul-wrenching pleasure a wilderness deer hunt can offer.

  1128 Posted by Chris Avena
• By Chris Avena

  Planning A Wilderness Hunt

  In the wilderness, deer hunting becomes a special experience that is unforgettable. by Keith Sutton   In wilderness areas, undisturbed by humans and development, white-tailed deer often grow old and reach large sizes. Today, more and more deer hunters are looking for ways to escape the trappings of civilization. The bustle of our technological society has created a compulsion to log as much time in the backcountry as possible. Deer season offers that chance. Unfortunately, large tracts of backcountry are harder and harder to find. What outdoorsman has not experienced the disappointment of returning to a favored hunting spot only to find it forever altered? Perhaps a “No Trespassing” sign has gone up, or land development is occurring. As human populations grow, such experiences increase. Fortunately, the Wilderness Act of 1964 set aside undeveloped lands where hunters still can enjoy a get-away-from-it-all experience. Congress, in the Act, defined wilderness as “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain ...” Our country is blessed with hundreds of statutory wilderness areas encompassing millions of acres of prime deer habitat. These lands are remote enough to offer total solitude. On a wilderness trek, you say goodbye to the world’s troubles and welcome the backcountry. Hunting wilderness area deer isn’t care-free, though. These pristine tracts are open only to those willing to overcome the distance and rugged terrain with their nomad home on their back. Austerity is a prerequisite, for everything the hunter needs to survive and pursue his quarry must be packed in on foot or horseback. Wilderness deer hunting doesn’t begin at dawn, break at noon and end at dusk. It is a total sporting existence lasting every minute of every day and night spent in the wild. The U.S. Forest Service offers this reminder to wilderness explorers: “As a wilderness area visitor, be aware you are entering a primitive environment where you will be faced with the challenge of being entirely self-sufficient for whatever time you plan to remain there. There are no shelters, campgrounds, tables, fire grates, water spigots or detailed trail signs. You will be either afoot or on horseback, because no motorized vehicles are permitted in these areas. You will meet and live with nature on its own terms, and become familiar with the sometimes scary feeling of being completely on your own far from the nearest trace of civilization.” For most, however, the rewards of a wilderness hunting experience far exceed the investments. My friend Bill Jones has been hunting deer in wilderness areas for decades, backpacking in and camping up to nine days. The allure of these natural sanctuaries keeps drawing him back.   Glynn Harris of Ruston, La. approaches a buck killed on a wilderness hunting trip. The chance to get away from crowds and into unfettered backcountry draws a few hardy hunters to wilderness areas.  “When I’m walking into a wilderness area, I can feel the stress draining away,” Jones says. “You might spend a whole day and not see another individual. The only noise you hear, other than woodland sounds, might be the low drone of an airplane. It’s quiet, allowing you contemplate the reason for your existence. It’s almost a religious experience.” Preparedness, says Jones, is important to enjoying wilderness experiences. Hunters should be in top physical condition and well versed in first aid, orienteering and outdoor cookery. “You might be miles from the nearest road,” he says. “There are no vehicles, nobody to take care of you. So you must know all your camping skills and be able to take care of health and safety on your own. Getting lost is most likely to happen, so be sure you’re an accomplished map reader. Leave a map with family or friends so someone knows where you are and when you’re expected to return.” Some hunters are drawn to wilderness areas because chances of bagging a trophy buck are excellent. Reduced hunting pressure means bucks live longer and grow bigger. For some people, though, bagging a deer is secondary to the aesthetics of a wilderness hunt. “Our group has hunted one wilderness area for eight seasons, and we’ve only killed two deer,” Jones says. “But we keep going back because of the way it makes you feel. I realize once I’m out there how important my family is to me. In fact, I realize how important everything around me is. I think, what in the world would I do without GORE-TEX? How do you suppose an Indian would have lived through that rainstorm in a buffalo robe? It puts things in perspective. “As you get to the last night,” he continues, “you sit around the campfire, and you know tomorrow you must go back to the real world. It gets emotional sometimes because you know you won’t have this exact same experience again. Before you’ve even left, you’re already thinking about the next trip.” The thrills of deer hunting are one reason for a wilderness visit. But if you go to all the trouble of journeying into these remote places for just one purpose — hunting — you’re wasting your energy and missing the point. The common denominator of wilderness areas is their difference from the tame lands you leave behind. Learn to comprehend the difference, then you will truly enjoy the soul-wrenching pleasure a wilderness deer hunt can offer.

  Jun 24, 2011 1128
• 23 Jun 2011
  Michigan Lawmakers Grapple with Wild Pig Problem

  Michigan lawmakers are debating whether to adopt regulations for facilities that provide wild boar breeding and hunting. LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's current strategy for dealing with free-roaming, wild swine that destroy crops in parts of the state is basically to shoot them on sight. That's likely not a long-term solution to the state's feral swine problem, according to wildlife officials. The Department of Natural Resources says the threat stems from pigs escaping the game ranches where they're hunted for sport. Unless state lawmakers come up with an alternative plan, the DNR will begin the process of banning possession of wild boars July 8. Lawmakers are divided on the issue as the deadline approaches. Some want to let the invasive species order take effect and put it into state law so it can't easily be altered. Others say that would unnecessarily harm game ranches that rely on wild boar hunts for a major chunk of their income. Those lawmakers seek to adopt regulations for ranches, including tougher fencing standards to prevent the animals from escaping. Wildlife officials say the time to act is now, before the state's feral swine problem becomes too big to manage with either strategy. "Think of it like skin cancer,'' said Russ Mason, chief of the DNR's wildlife division. "Right now we're dealing with a couple of moles. We can get them froze off. Ignore that, it's gonna kill you.'' A state law adopted last year allows hunters and law enforcement officers to shoot wild swine they encounter on public property. The feral swine can be killed on private property with the owner's permission. But wildlife officials doubt the strategy is enough to handle the feral swine population. The wild pigs are smarter than coyotes, Mason said, staying out of sight and on the move. "They are very good at not getting killed,'' Mason said. "They have home ranges that are enormous, if they have home ranges at all. If you take a shot today over by Grand Rapids and miss that pig, tomorrow he's going to be in Muskegon.'' Federal officials say the wild pigs exist in at least 39 states with the largest populations in California, Florida, Hawaii and Texas. The pigs can top 200 pounds, ravenously eating corn, soybeans, hay and much of anything else they stumble upon. They're also considered a disease threat to domestic livestock. The roaming pigs have been reported in at least 65 of Michigan's 83 counties. Wildlife officials estimate roughly 3,000 to 5,000 may range outside of captivity, although those numbers are doubted by some hunters who rarely see the beasts outside of game ranches. "There's not 200 pigs running around this state, let alone 5,000,'' said Doug Miller, owner of the Thunder Hills Ranch in Jackson County. Miller considers the DNR population estimates a "joke'' and says game ranches are unfairly blamed for the swine's presence in the wild. The Michigan Animal Farmers Association is contesting the ban with a court case pending in Ingham County. Miller also has elk and deer on his hunting ranch, but said wild boars are the key to his business. He'd rather face the regulations than an outright ban on the boars. "I'm in favor of reasonable regulations for us,'' he said. "There isn't anything to prevent just any old person from having pigs. There needs to be some regulations.'' Game ranches would be required to pay fees for inspections, testing, applications and other procedures. Swine would have to be kept within secure fences. Different versions of the regulations have been proposed in the House and Senate. Rep. Ed McBroom, a Republican and dairy farmer from Vulcan, prefers a strategy that would implement regulations while continuing the state's see-a-pig, shoot-a-pig policy. "Let that law work on our feral pig problem, then put a law in place that allows the good actors in this state, the good businessmen, to stay in business,'' McBroom said. Opponents say anything less than banning the animals would be asking for trouble. Members of organizations representing pork producers and milk producers are among those supporting a ban, citing the risk to crops and the potential for spreading disease. "As far as I'm concerned, bringing in wild hogs to this state would be like bringing in Asian carp and putting them in a pond for fishing,'' said Sen. Rick Jones, a Republican from Grand Ledge who has sponsored legislation to put the DNR ban into state law. "There's going to be a flood and they're going to escape. These wild boars are escaping.'' If the ban were to go into effect, it would be phased in. DNR officials say ranch owners would be given time to have large scale hunts, sell off animals to ranches in states where hunts are permitted or take other steps to adjust. "We intend to structure the removal of pigs in a way that allows guys in a very reasonable way to restructure their business to assure that none of them suffer significant economic harm,'' Mason said.

  1361 Posted by Chris Avena
• By Chris Avena

  Michigan Lawmakers Grapple with Wild Pig Problem

  Michigan lawmakers are debating whether to adopt regulations for facilities that provide wild boar breeding and hunting. LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's current strategy for dealing with free-roaming, wild swine that destroy crops in parts of the state is basically to shoot them on sight. That's likely not a long-term solution to the state's feral swine problem, according to wildlife officials. The Department of Natural Resources says the threat stems from pigs escaping the game ranches where they're hunted for sport. Unless state lawmakers come up with an alternative plan, the DNR will begin the process of banning possession of wild boars July 8. Lawmakers are divided on the issue as the deadline approaches. Some want to let the invasive species order take effect and put it into state law so it can't easily be altered. Others say that would unnecessarily harm game ranches that rely on wild boar hunts for a major chunk of their income. Those lawmakers seek to adopt regulations for ranches, including tougher fencing standards to prevent the animals from escaping. Wildlife officials say the time to act is now, before the state's feral swine problem becomes too big to manage with either strategy. "Think of it like skin cancer,'' said Russ Mason, chief of the DNR's wildlife division. "Right now we're dealing with a couple of moles. We can get them froze off. Ignore that, it's gonna kill you.'' A state law adopted last year allows hunters and law enforcement officers to shoot wild swine they encounter on public property. The feral swine can be killed on private property with the owner's permission. But wildlife officials doubt the strategy is enough to handle the feral swine population. The wild pigs are smarter than coyotes, Mason said, staying out of sight and on the move. "They are very good at not getting killed,'' Mason said. "They have home ranges that are enormous, if they have home ranges at all. If you take a shot today over by Grand Rapids and miss that pig, tomorrow he's going to be in Muskegon.'' Federal officials say the wild pigs exist in at least 39 states with the largest populations in California, Florida, Hawaii and Texas. The pigs can top 200 pounds, ravenously eating corn, soybeans, hay and much of anything else they stumble upon. They're also considered a disease threat to domestic livestock. The roaming pigs have been reported in at least 65 of Michigan's 83 counties. Wildlife officials estimate roughly 3,000 to 5,000 may range outside of captivity, although those numbers are doubted by some hunters who rarely see the beasts outside of game ranches. "There's not 200 pigs running around this state, let alone 5,000,'' said Doug Miller, owner of the Thunder Hills Ranch in Jackson County. Miller considers the DNR population estimates a "joke'' and says game ranches are unfairly blamed for the swine's presence in the wild. The Michigan Animal Farmers Association is contesting the ban with a court case pending in Ingham County. Miller also has elk and deer on his hunting ranch, but said wild boars are the key to his business. He'd rather face the regulations than an outright ban on the boars. "I'm in favor of reasonable regulations for us,'' he said. "There isn't anything to prevent just any old person from having pigs. There needs to be some regulations.'' Game ranches would be required to pay fees for inspections, testing, applications and other procedures. Swine would have to be kept within secure fences. Different versions of the regulations have been proposed in the House and Senate. Rep. Ed McBroom, a Republican and dairy farmer from Vulcan, prefers a strategy that would implement regulations while continuing the state's see-a-pig, shoot-a-pig policy. "Let that law work on our feral pig problem, then put a law in place that allows the good actors in this state, the good businessmen, to stay in business,'' McBroom said. Opponents say anything less than banning the animals would be asking for trouble. Members of organizations representing pork producers and milk producers are among those supporting a ban, citing the risk to crops and the potential for spreading disease. "As far as I'm concerned, bringing in wild hogs to this state would be like bringing in Asian carp and putting them in a pond for fishing,'' said Sen. Rick Jones, a Republican from Grand Ledge who has sponsored legislation to put the DNR ban into state law. "There's going to be a flood and they're going to escape. These wild boars are escaping.'' If the ban were to go into effect, it would be phased in. DNR officials say ranch owners would be given time to have large scale hunts, sell off animals to ranches in states where hunts are permitted or take other steps to adjust. "We intend to structure the removal of pigs in a way that allows guys in a very reasonable way to restructure their business to assure that none of them suffer significant economic harm,'' Mason said.

  Jun 23, 2011 1361
• 17 Jun 2011
  South Carolina Sees Record Number of Alligator Hunting Applicat

  South Carolina Sees Record Number of Alligator Hunting Applications South Carolina wildlife officials say they've received a record number of applications for alligator hunting licenses.   CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina wildlife officials say they've received a record number of applications for alligator hunting licenses. The Post and Courier of Charleston reported that the Natural Resources Department said more than 4,000 applications have been received so far. Wednesday is the deadline to pay $10 to apply for a license for this fall's season. Only 1,200 applications will be approved. The agency uses a computer program to select the winners, though the program gives a bonus to those who have applied unsuccessfully in the past. Those selected must pay $100 for the alligator hunting license. South Carolina's month-long alligator hunting season opens Sept. 10. Officials say more than 400 alligators are killed during the hunting season each year. Officials estimate South Carolina has more than 100,000 alligators

  811 Posted by Chris Avena
• By Chris Avena

  South Carolina Sees Record Number of Alligator Hunting Applicat

  South Carolina Sees Record Number of Alligator Hunting Applications South Carolina wildlife officials say they've received a record number of applications for alligator hunting licenses.   CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina wildlife officials say they've received a record number of applications for alligator hunting licenses. The Post and Courier of Charleston reported that the Natural Resources Department said more than 4,000 applications have been received so far. Wednesday is the deadline to pay $10 to apply for a license for this fall's season. Only 1,200 applications will be approved. The agency uses a computer program to select the winners, though the program gives a bonus to those who have applied unsuccessfully in the past. Those selected must pay $100 for the alligator hunting license. South Carolina's month-long alligator hunting season opens Sept. 10. Officials say more than 400 alligators are killed during the hunting season each year. Officials estimate South Carolina has more than 100,000 alligators

  Jun 17, 2011 811
• 16 Jun 2011
  Commission Votes to Lift Michigan Deer Baiting Ban

  Michigan's wildlife policymakers on Thursday voted to end a ban on baiting and feeding of whitetail deer in most of the state's Lower Peninsula.   LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's wildlife policymakers on Thursday voted to end a ban on baiting and feeding of whitetail deer in most of the state's Lower Peninsula. The 4-3 vote by the Natural Resources Commission means baiting will be legal again in most of the Lower Peninsula from Oct. 1 to Jan. 1. The exception is a northeast section where bovine tuberculosis remains a problem, including Alcona, Alpena, Iosco, Montmorency, Oscoda, and Presque Isle counties. Bait could be "scattered'' but not "piled'' and the amount of bait could not exceed two gallons at any one hunting site. The debate isn't over, however. The commission also voted to revisit the ban in three years, if not earlier. Baiting and feeding have been banned in the Lower Peninsula since August 2008, when a deer with chronic wasting disease was found at a captive breeding farm in Kent County. No other cases have been reported. That led some to push for ending the ban, which was instituted to prevent deer from spreading diseases to each other while eating highly concentrated piles of food left by hunters and others. The new plan also would allow people to feed deer for recreational viewing year-round except in the bovine TB zone. Policies that allow limited baiting and feeding in the Upper Peninsula remain in place. Hunters have long been divided over baiting. Some advocate it in part because they say it increases their chances of a successful hunt. Others consider baiting to be unethical and say it has encouraged deer to feed at night, when they cannot be hunted. Some commissioners noted Thursday that the ban has been difficult to enforce. "This is a very controversial and emotional issue,'' said John Madigan, a Natural Resources Commission member who voted in favor of lifting the ban.

  1514 Posted by Chris Avena
• By Chris Avena

  Commission Votes to Lift Michigan Deer Baiting Ban

  Michigan's wildlife policymakers on Thursday voted to end a ban on baiting and feeding of whitetail deer in most of the state's Lower Peninsula.   LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's wildlife policymakers on Thursday voted to end a ban on baiting and feeding of whitetail deer in most of the state's Lower Peninsula. The 4-3 vote by the Natural Resources Commission means baiting will be legal again in most of the Lower Peninsula from Oct. 1 to Jan. 1. The exception is a northeast section where bovine tuberculosis remains a problem, including Alcona, Alpena, Iosco, Montmorency, Oscoda, and Presque Isle counties. Bait could be "scattered'' but not "piled'' and the amount of bait could not exceed two gallons at any one hunting site. The debate isn't over, however. The commission also voted to revisit the ban in three years, if not earlier. Baiting and feeding have been banned in the Lower Peninsula since August 2008, when a deer with chronic wasting disease was found at a captive breeding farm in Kent County. No other cases have been reported. That led some to push for ending the ban, which was instituted to prevent deer from spreading diseases to each other while eating highly concentrated piles of food left by hunters and others. The new plan also would allow people to feed deer for recreational viewing year-round except in the bovine TB zone. Policies that allow limited baiting and feeding in the Upper Peninsula remain in place. Hunters have long been divided over baiting. Some advocate it in part because they say it increases their chances of a successful hunt. Others consider baiting to be unethical and say it has encouraged deer to feed at night, when they cannot be hunted. Some commissioners noted Thursday that the ban has been difficult to enforce. "This is a very controversial and emotional issue,'' said John Madigan, a Natural Resources Commission member who voted in favor of lifting the ban.

  Jun 16, 2011 1514
• 14 Jun 2011
  Connecticut Officials Look to Encourage Fishing and Hunting

  Hunting and fishing are on a steady decline in Connecticut, and the state is attempting to reverse the trend.   WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) — Hunting and fishing are on a steady decline in Connecticut, and the state is attempting to reverse the trend. The question is whether the efforts, which include more programs for children and stocking city ponds with catfish, will counteract a dwindling interest and experience in the outdoors. "Younger people aren't gravitating toward outdoor activities the way they used to,'' said Dennis Schain, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection. "Lifestyles have changed, and electronics are drawing young people away.'' Fewer hunting and fishing licenses issued by the DEP means less money to stock fish and conduct other programs. It also carries a broader concern, said Schain. Fresh and saltwater fishermen pump $300 million annually into Connecticut's economy, and hunters spend another $68 million, according to a 2006 study by the U.S. Department of Interior. Additionally, "as these numbers decline, there is less of a constituency for environmental stewardship,'' Schain said. The number of licenses has been dropping as far back as 1990, when 227,510 inland fishing licenses were issued, and then grew more precipitous after hunting and fishing license fees were increased in 2009. Those increases prompted a public outcry and rollback on the cost. In 2010, Connecticut residents bought 123,405 fishing licenses worth about $4.5 million. About 41,000 various hunting licenses were issued, less than half of the 91,000 sold in 1990. Hunting license sales recently brought in $2.5 million. A combination license for both costs $38 without "tags'' for bow, rifle or muzzleloader deer and turkey hunting seasons. A fishing license is $28. Several programs have been launched to lure more people outside. This year, the state will step up efforts to invite more outdoor activities through its six-year-old No Child Left Inside programs, including Connecticut Acquatic Resources Education, which relies on volunteer involvement in school and community activities to put fishing poles in children's hands and get them involved in activities like fish stocking. "We want young peoples' attention by putting a fishing pole in their hands and connecting with nature,'' said Peter Aarrestad, the director of the DEP's Inland Fisheries Division said. In Hamden, for example, fifth-graders were enlisted to help the DEP stock trout. "They just loved getting fish slime on their hands,'' Aarrestad said. "It makes it more likely that they will go back and fish.'' Since 2007, the state has stocked catfish in ponds within city limits, hoping to get more urban residents fishing. Statewide this year, 15,000 catfish were stocked, including at Great Brook Reservoir at Lakewood Park in Waterbury. "We are trying to make fishing available to everyone,'' Aarrestad said. "Catfish, which we have stocked since 2007, are easy and fun to catch, and good to eat.'' Aarrestad said he'd also like to see the state create a new fee structure that rolls back the $28 license fee for young people between the ages of 16, when they are first required to buy a license, and 21. Increases in fees in 1992, 2003 and 2009 resulted in far fewer licenses sold the following years. In 2009, 149,000 fishing licenses were sold. The following year, 123,405 were sold. "We blew it when the state doubled the hunting and fishing license fees,'' said James Fedorich of Torrington, president of the Northwestern Connecticut chapter of Trout Unlimited and a lifelong fisherman. "It was a mistake to increase the fees on a revenue source that was already declining.'' Broader sociological changes are also involved in what is a national trend, Aarrestad and Fedorich agreed. Parents are reluctant to allow their children to be unsupervised outdoors, and fewer parents spend time outside. That's sad for Fedorich, 69, who recalls growing up fishing the upper reaches of the Naugatuck River, and shooting for practice before hunting season at local ranges. "Everybody had a fishing pole, and after school we rode our bikes with them, or your dad took you fishing on Saturdays,'' Fedorich said. "Every town had a fishing derby.'' License money: Where it goes Revenue from hunting and fishing licenses goes into the state's General Fund. Under federal and state law, an allocation is returned to the state Department of Environmental Protection to fund fishing programs and staffing that is at least equal to the amount generated by license sales. Of the DEP's $145 million budget, it costs nearly $14.8 million to fund fisheries and wildlife programs. About $12 million comes from anglers and hunters, licenses and a federal excise tax on fishing and hunting equipment which comes back to the state. About $7 million is license revenue, said Bill Hyatt, bureau chief for the DEP's Bureau of Natural Resources. Not funded by the fees are periodic capital improvement needs related to stocking, such as the replacement of outdated oxygenation equipment on stocking trucks and improvements to two of the state's three hatcheries in Burlington and Kensington. "Those projects come out of the Bond Commission,'' said Dennis Schain, DEP spokesman. "We are well aware that these are difficult financial times. The staff here is committed to making the best possible fishing opportunities available to the anglers of this state with the resources available to us.''

  2803 Posted by Chris Avena
• By Chris Avena

  Connecticut Officials Look to Encourage Fishing and Hunting

  Hunting and fishing are on a steady decline in Connecticut, and the state is attempting to reverse the trend.   WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) — Hunting and fishing are on a steady decline in Connecticut, and the state is attempting to reverse the trend. The question is whether the efforts, which include more programs for children and stocking city ponds with catfish, will counteract a dwindling interest and experience in the outdoors. "Younger people aren't gravitating toward outdoor activities the way they used to,'' said Dennis Schain, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection. "Lifestyles have changed, and electronics are drawing young people away.'' Fewer hunting and fishing licenses issued by the DEP means less money to stock fish and conduct other programs. It also carries a broader concern, said Schain. Fresh and saltwater fishermen pump $300 million annually into Connecticut's economy, and hunters spend another $68 million, according to a 2006 study by the U.S. Department of Interior. Additionally, "as these numbers decline, there is less of a constituency for environmental stewardship,'' Schain said. The number of licenses has been dropping as far back as 1990, when 227,510 inland fishing licenses were issued, and then grew more precipitous after hunting and fishing license fees were increased in 2009. Those increases prompted a public outcry and rollback on the cost. In 2010, Connecticut residents bought 123,405 fishing licenses worth about $4.5 million. About 41,000 various hunting licenses were issued, less than half of the 91,000 sold in 1990. Hunting license sales recently brought in $2.5 million. A combination license for both costs $38 without "tags'' for bow, rifle or muzzleloader deer and turkey hunting seasons. A fishing license is $28. Several programs have been launched to lure more people outside. This year, the state will step up efforts to invite more outdoor activities through its six-year-old No Child Left Inside programs, including Connecticut Acquatic Resources Education, which relies on volunteer involvement in school and community activities to put fishing poles in children's hands and get them involved in activities like fish stocking. "We want young peoples' attention by putting a fishing pole in their hands and connecting with nature,'' said Peter Aarrestad, the director of the DEP's Inland Fisheries Division said. In Hamden, for example, fifth-graders were enlisted to help the DEP stock trout. "They just loved getting fish slime on their hands,'' Aarrestad said. "It makes it more likely that they will go back and fish.'' Since 2007, the state has stocked catfish in ponds within city limits, hoping to get more urban residents fishing. Statewide this year, 15,000 catfish were stocked, including at Great Brook Reservoir at Lakewood Park in Waterbury. "We are trying to make fishing available to everyone,'' Aarrestad said. "Catfish, which we have stocked since 2007, are easy and fun to catch, and good to eat.'' Aarrestad said he'd also like to see the state create a new fee structure that rolls back the $28 license fee for young people between the ages of 16, when they are first required to buy a license, and 21. Increases in fees in 1992, 2003 and 2009 resulted in far fewer licenses sold the following years. In 2009, 149,000 fishing licenses were sold. The following year, 123,405 were sold. "We blew it when the state doubled the hunting and fishing license fees,'' said James Fedorich of Torrington, president of the Northwestern Connecticut chapter of Trout Unlimited and a lifelong fisherman. "It was a mistake to increase the fees on a revenue source that was already declining.'' Broader sociological changes are also involved in what is a national trend, Aarrestad and Fedorich agreed. Parents are reluctant to allow their children to be unsupervised outdoors, and fewer parents spend time outside. That's sad for Fedorich, 69, who recalls growing up fishing the upper reaches of the Naugatuck River, and shooting for practice before hunting season at local ranges. "Everybody had a fishing pole, and after school we rode our bikes with them, or your dad took you fishing on Saturdays,'' Fedorich said. "Every town had a fishing derby.'' License money: Where it goes Revenue from hunting and fishing licenses goes into the state's General Fund. Under federal and state law, an allocation is returned to the state Department of Environmental Protection to fund fishing programs and staffing that is at least equal to the amount generated by license sales. Of the DEP's $145 million budget, it costs nearly $14.8 million to fund fisheries and wildlife programs. About $12 million comes from anglers and hunters, licenses and a federal excise tax on fishing and hunting equipment which comes back to the state. About $7 million is license revenue, said Bill Hyatt, bureau chief for the DEP's Bureau of Natural Resources. Not funded by the fees are periodic capital improvement needs related to stocking, such as the replacement of outdated oxygenation equipment on stocking trucks and improvements to two of the state's three hatcheries in Burlington and Kensington. "Those projects come out of the Bond Commission,'' said Dennis Schain, DEP spokesman. "We are well aware that these are difficult financial times. The staff here is committed to making the best possible fishing opportunities available to the anglers of this state with the resources available to us.''

  Jun 14, 2011 2803
• 13 Jun 2011
  The Vanishing Art Of Stalking And Still-Hunting

  Get out of your stand and test your mettle against wary whitetails the old-fashioned way. by Jim Casada     Careful, deliberate movements are key when still-hunting. Stay low whenever possible.   In today’s world, the vast majority of deer hunting is done from elevated stands, which in reality might more accurately be described as “sits.” For the most part, stand hunting is a waiting game, although rattling, grunt calls and the use of various scent attractants do involve some active approaches on the part of the hunter. This kind of hunting was not always so ubiquitous; what were once common methods, namely still-hunting and stalking, have for the most part been abandoned. Yet in certain situations and geographical settings, these approaches might be the best ways to get within range of whitetails. The Skill Of Woodsmanship In one fashion or another, all traditional methods of deer hunting involve taking the action to deer as opposed to waiting for them to come to the hunter. Up until the last 40 years or so, it was how American hunters put venison on the table. Still- and stalk-hunting placed a premium on superior woodsmanship. I’ll flat-out guarantee that anyone who takes to the whitetail trail using still-hunting and stalking techniques will improve his woodscraft skills to a significant degree. The finest deer hunter I’ve ever known always hunted afoot. Joe Scarborough moved through the woods like a ghost. He was so quiet, so attuned to his surroundings, that his customary method involved shooting undisturbed deer in their beds. On top of that, he invariably shot them in the eye. Of course Joe had been a sniper who spent three tours of duty in Vietnam, and his woodsmanship was so outstanding that when walking through the woods in front of him, I constantly caught myself looking back to check whether he was still there. The man exemplified the concept that “silence is golden,” at least in a woodland setting. Most of us will never achieve similar levels of unobtrusive oneness with the world about us when hunting whitetails, but at least we can strive to do so. Ways To Stay Unseen In the course of a typical day Joe would cover a lot of ground in a measured, unhurried fashion. His was constant watchfulness, ever alert for an ear flick, a glimpse of a tail or the glint of sunlight off a tine. Similarly, there was always a lot more watching than there was walking, but even so, he could cover a lot of ground in the course of a full day. For Scarborough, as for any skilled hunter afoot, the quest takes on new, challenging dimensions once a deer is spotted. If the animal is within range and a clear shot is available when it is spotted, obviously all that is required is easing the gun into position and making an accurate shot. Otherwise, it’s time to stalk to within range. This might necessitate a belly crawl, a strategic retreat to take a roundabout route to a suitable site, or some other tactic. Whatever the choice, it’s an extended equivalent of a bowhunter picking a moment when he can make his draw unseen. Whether stalking, still-hunting or employing a combination of the two, one distinct advantage is the ability to hunt into prevailing winds. A fixed ladder stand or tripod offers no such opportunity to adjust to the vagaries of shifting or changing winds. When a front approaches, bringing winds from a different direction, stand hunters sometimes find themselves at the mercy of the deer’s first line of defense, its sense of smell.     You’ll need vegetation to cover your movements when you’re on a stalk. Keep your eyes on constant watch for the slightest hint of movement ahead.   How To Stalk Successfully Even if hunt from a fixed location, you can still incorporate some still-hunting techniques. Rather than walking hurriedly and heedlessly from a stand after a morning session, or while en route to a stand in the afternoon, take your time — lots of it — to cover the ground between your vehicle and your hunting station. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how productive this might prove to be, and it has additional advantages, including avoidance of getting “sweated up” and reducing the likelihood of spooking deer. While on the ground, be constantly alert for movement. Ease to the top of every hill and each turn in a trail or road with great caution. Use vegetation to cover your progress as much as possible, and in general allot some extra time get to and from stands. Never overlook taking a water route to deer. As is the case in many regions of the country, pressured deer near my southern home regularly seek refuge on islands in larger rivers, on elevated hideaways in flooded river basins or swamps, or in thickets bordering small streams flowing through remote regions. Often the only feasible way to reach deer in such habitat is to paddle to them using a canoe or johnboat. Hunters with sufficient gumption and a willingness to go the extra mile (or maybe several miles) can ease into an area without making much noise, leave their watercraft, and hunt afoot from that point. Then, too, a canoe or johnboat offers a much easier way to get a deer back to civilization than a long drag over rugged ground. Obviously there are times when turning to the traditional approaches to deer-hunting will be impossible. Yet in many situations the varied options offered by still-hunting or stalking can serve the hunter well. Thoughts On Safety Potential downsides to traditional approaches include safety considerations and the possibility of interfering with other hunters. Generally speaking, the techniques described here should be employed on private land, where you know you won’t encounter another hunter. However, for the really venturesome sportsman of the sort who gets back of beyond on a regular basis, doing this on really remote stretches of public land might be considered. In any case, wear plenty of hunter-orange attire and take care not to intrude where someone else might be hunting.

  1071 Posted by Chris Avena
• By Chris Avena

  The Vanishing Art Of Stalking And Still-Hunting

  Get out of your stand and test your mettle against wary whitetails the old-fashioned way. by Jim Casada     Careful, deliberate movements are key when still-hunting. Stay low whenever possible.   In today’s world, the vast majority of deer hunting is done from elevated stands, which in reality might more accurately be described as “sits.” For the most part, stand hunting is a waiting game, although rattling, grunt calls and the use of various scent attractants do involve some active approaches on the part of the hunter. This kind of hunting was not always so ubiquitous; what were once common methods, namely still-hunting and stalking, have for the most part been abandoned. Yet in certain situations and geographical settings, these approaches might be the best ways to get within range of whitetails. The Skill Of Woodsmanship In one fashion or another, all traditional methods of deer hunting involve taking the action to deer as opposed to waiting for them to come to the hunter. Up until the last 40 years or so, it was how American hunters put venison on the table. Still- and stalk-hunting placed a premium on superior woodsmanship. I’ll flat-out guarantee that anyone who takes to the whitetail trail using still-hunting and stalking techniques will improve his woodscraft skills to a significant degree. The finest deer hunter I’ve ever known always hunted afoot. Joe Scarborough moved through the woods like a ghost. He was so quiet, so attuned to his surroundings, that his customary method involved shooting undisturbed deer in their beds. On top of that, he invariably shot them in the eye. Of course Joe had been a sniper who spent three tours of duty in Vietnam, and his woodsmanship was so outstanding that when walking through the woods in front of him, I constantly caught myself looking back to check whether he was still there. The man exemplified the concept that “silence is golden,” at least in a woodland setting. Most of us will never achieve similar levels of unobtrusive oneness with the world about us when hunting whitetails, but at least we can strive to do so. Ways To Stay Unseen In the course of a typical day Joe would cover a lot of ground in a measured, unhurried fashion. His was constant watchfulness, ever alert for an ear flick, a glimpse of a tail or the glint of sunlight off a tine. Similarly, there was always a lot more watching than there was walking, but even so, he could cover a lot of ground in the course of a full day. For Scarborough, as for any skilled hunter afoot, the quest takes on new, challenging dimensions once a deer is spotted. If the animal is within range and a clear shot is available when it is spotted, obviously all that is required is easing the gun into position and making an accurate shot. Otherwise, it’s time to stalk to within range. This might necessitate a belly crawl, a strategic retreat to take a roundabout route to a suitable site, or some other tactic. Whatever the choice, it’s an extended equivalent of a bowhunter picking a moment when he can make his draw unseen. Whether stalking, still-hunting or employing a combination of the two, one distinct advantage is the ability to hunt into prevailing winds. A fixed ladder stand or tripod offers no such opportunity to adjust to the vagaries of shifting or changing winds. When a front approaches, bringing winds from a different direction, stand hunters sometimes find themselves at the mercy of the deer’s first line of defense, its sense of smell.     You’ll need vegetation to cover your movements when you’re on a stalk. Keep your eyes on constant watch for the slightest hint of movement ahead.   How To Stalk Successfully Even if hunt from a fixed location, you can still incorporate some still-hunting techniques. Rather than walking hurriedly and heedlessly from a stand after a morning session, or while en route to a stand in the afternoon, take your time — lots of it — to cover the ground between your vehicle and your hunting station. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how productive this might prove to be, and it has additional advantages, including avoidance of getting “sweated up” and reducing the likelihood of spooking deer. While on the ground, be constantly alert for movement. Ease to the top of every hill and each turn in a trail or road with great caution. Use vegetation to cover your progress as much as possible, and in general allot some extra time get to and from stands. Never overlook taking a water route to deer. As is the case in many regions of the country, pressured deer near my southern home regularly seek refuge on islands in larger rivers, on elevated hideaways in flooded river basins or swamps, or in thickets bordering small streams flowing through remote regions. Often the only feasible way to reach deer in such habitat is to paddle to them using a canoe or johnboat. Hunters with sufficient gumption and a willingness to go the extra mile (or maybe several miles) can ease into an area without making much noise, leave their watercraft, and hunt afoot from that point. Then, too, a canoe or johnboat offers a much easier way to get a deer back to civilization than a long drag over rugged ground. Obviously there are times when turning to the traditional approaches to deer-hunting will be impossible. Yet in many situations the varied options offered by still-hunting or stalking can serve the hunter well. Thoughts On Safety Potential downsides to traditional approaches include safety considerations and the possibility of interfering with other hunters. Generally speaking, the techniques described here should be employed on private land, where you know you won’t encounter another hunter. However, for the really venturesome sportsman of the sort who gets back of beyond on a regular basis, doing this on really remote stretches of public land might be considered. In any case, wear plenty of hunter-orange attire and take care not to intrude where someone else might be hunting.

  Jun 13, 2011 1071
• 13 Jun 2011
  Advanced Stand Hunting Strategies—Part 2

  The best bet of tagging bucks during the second rut lies in shifting our placement strategies to revolve around the hottest food source that the area holds. by Steve Bartylla Continued from Part 1 Hunting Strategies In the Deep South, the stand placement strategies really don’t change much after the first does come into estrus. Although the comparative lack of breeding intensity may result in funnels receiving a lessened amount of buck travel for a typical day of the rut, they’re often still good choices on the last day of season. The same holds true for catching bucks prowling family group bedding areas and scent checking food sources. All three locations are still good choices for stand sites. However, that’s not the case in the Upper Midwest or northern regions. In fact, for those of you that hunt areas where deer commonly yard up during winter, the best options for tagging a buck after the first rut will be found in the next chapter. Frankly, even those that hunt the lower areas of the northern regions and the Upper Midwest would be best served to spend the remaining days of season alternating between the tactics about to be described here and those in the post rut chapter. As you will find is the case with the post rut, the best bet of tagging bucks during the second rut lies in shifting our placement strategies to revolve around the hottest food source that the area holds, keying on the areas within the food source that yield the most concentrated feeding activity. Certainly, there are times when the bruiser will still check the family group bedding area, but, unless continued hunting pressure has soured him on daylight visits to the food source, that placement option no longer wins the risk and reward comparison. Simply put, in most settings, the odds of catching him at the food source are better and offer less of a risk of altering the deer’s patterns. That’s not to say that there isn’t a risk in hunting food sources. Even more so than earlier in the season, routes to and from the stand, being properly concealed and not getting winded are challenges. To make it worse, frozen ground and reduced living plant life each reduces the natural odors that help mask our own. Throw in the fact that the surviving deer have already made it through the brunt of the war and our prey is now not anywhere near as tolerant of our intrusions. Sure, in areas of limited options, it may take a lot to drive deer completely away from using a prime food source. However, the slightest trace of danger sends them dashing for cover faster than any phase before this. Where before the old doe may have eventually disregarded a flicker of movement or slight trace of odor after a brief investigation, now she will stare, test the wind, stomp, stare and repeat the process until, more often than not, she blows and flees for cover, only to spend the next 10 minutes snorting in the woods. It doesn’t take many of these world-alerting encounters to convince the local deer that coming out after dark isn’t a bad idea. All of this makes selecting stand sites that provide good routes, cover and placement for the wind of critical importance. After the first rut, far more than during any other phase of season, I will sacrifice a stand that offers superior placement for intercepting deer for one that provides higher odds of going undetected. Far too many late afternoons filled with snorting deer have taught me that lesson well. The saving grace to selecting stands that are slightly off from where we really would like to be is that deer seldom enter a food source and camp in one location. They tend to spread out, milling around as they feed. At the same time, the more mature bucks often feel compelled to pay a visit to each new doe that enters the food source. In doing so, they often cover much of the area, presenting shot opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t be there. Luckily, there are tactics that we can use to draw bucks to our stand. The combination of still being interested in breeding and far fewer receptive females makes bucks susceptible to estrus scents. Placing several doctored scent wicks around our stand, as well as laying a scent trail leading to it, can bring bucks into shooting range that otherwise may have remained feeding out of range. Decoys are yet another way of drawing them in. However, if surrounded by does, traditional decoys can do more harm than good. Given that does already have a hair trigger at this time, an up close look at a motionless decoy often sends them running. Using the decoy as a buck can help to avoid this. Because most does don’t want to be harassed, they commonly steer clear of bucks. On the other hand, the mature bucks typically like to introduce themselves to the new guy. It’s there own special way of letting them know that he’s the man and you best mind your place. When paired with both dominate buck and estrus urines, a buck decoy can bring results. However, because of the still burning urge to breed, a doe decoy and estrus urine combination works best. One way to avoid getting it busted by does is to set it in a less popular region of the food source. Hopefully, the buck’s urge to check every doe will bring him into shooting range. A better alternative is using the RoboCoy. Produced by Custom Robotic Wildlife in Mosinee, Wisconsin, it’s essentially a full body mount of a deer. Made with real deer hide covering a foam frame, it has built in robotics that allow for remote controlled movement of the head and tail. It’s the only decoy I’ve ever used that can consistently withstand close inspections from family groups and put them at ease, along with being a deadly draw for bucks. Conclusion By switching between using scents, decoys and relying on nothing but the placement of the stand, keying on food sources during the second rut can produce. The added advantage that this placement strategy yields is that it also has the ability to capitalize on bucks that don’t have any interest in does. Because the bucks still must recuperate from the rigors of the rut, they rely heavily on prime food sources. Hunting stand sites bordering food capitalizes on both of those possibilities.  

  1157 Posted by Chris Avena
• By Chris Avena

  Advanced Stand Hunting Strategies—Part 2

  The best bet of tagging bucks during the second rut lies in shifting our placement strategies to revolve around the hottest food source that the area holds. by Steve Bartylla Continued from Part 1 Hunting Strategies In the Deep South, the stand placement strategies really don’t change much after the first does come into estrus. Although the comparative lack of breeding intensity may result in funnels receiving a lessened amount of buck travel for a typical day of the rut, they’re often still good choices on the last day of season. The same holds true for catching bucks prowling family group bedding areas and scent checking food sources. All three locations are still good choices for stand sites. However, that’s not the case in the Upper Midwest or northern regions. In fact, for those of you that hunt areas where deer commonly yard up during winter, the best options for tagging a buck after the first rut will be found in the next chapter. Frankly, even those that hunt the lower areas of the northern regions and the Upper Midwest would be best served to spend the remaining days of season alternating between the tactics about to be described here and those in the post rut chapter. As you will find is the case with the post rut, the best bet of tagging bucks during the second rut lies in shifting our placement strategies to revolve around the hottest food source that the area holds, keying on the areas within the food source that yield the most concentrated feeding activity. Certainly, there are times when the bruiser will still check the family group bedding area, but, unless continued hunting pressure has soured him on daylight visits to the food source, that placement option no longer wins the risk and reward comparison. Simply put, in most settings, the odds of catching him at the food source are better and offer less of a risk of altering the deer’s patterns. That’s not to say that there isn’t a risk in hunting food sources. Even more so than earlier in the season, routes to and from the stand, being properly concealed and not getting winded are challenges. To make it worse, frozen ground and reduced living plant life each reduces the natural odors that help mask our own. Throw in the fact that the surviving deer have already made it through the brunt of the war and our prey is now not anywhere near as tolerant of our intrusions. Sure, in areas of limited options, it may take a lot to drive deer completely away from using a prime food source. However, the slightest trace of danger sends them dashing for cover faster than any phase before this. Where before the old doe may have eventually disregarded a flicker of movement or slight trace of odor after a brief investigation, now she will stare, test the wind, stomp, stare and repeat the process until, more often than not, she blows and flees for cover, only to spend the next 10 minutes snorting in the woods. It doesn’t take many of these world-alerting encounters to convince the local deer that coming out after dark isn’t a bad idea. All of this makes selecting stand sites that provide good routes, cover and placement for the wind of critical importance. After the first rut, far more than during any other phase of season, I will sacrifice a stand that offers superior placement for intercepting deer for one that provides higher odds of going undetected. Far too many late afternoons filled with snorting deer have taught me that lesson well. The saving grace to selecting stands that are slightly off from where we really would like to be is that deer seldom enter a food source and camp in one location. They tend to spread out, milling around as they feed. At the same time, the more mature bucks often feel compelled to pay a visit to each new doe that enters the food source. In doing so, they often cover much of the area, presenting shot opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t be there. Luckily, there are tactics that we can use to draw bucks to our stand. The combination of still being interested in breeding and far fewer receptive females makes bucks susceptible to estrus scents. Placing several doctored scent wicks around our stand, as well as laying a scent trail leading to it, can bring bucks into shooting range that otherwise may have remained feeding out of range. Decoys are yet another way of drawing them in. However, if surrounded by does, traditional decoys can do more harm than good. Given that does already have a hair trigger at this time, an up close look at a motionless decoy often sends them running. Using the decoy as a buck can help to avoid this. Because most does don’t want to be harassed, they commonly steer clear of bucks. On the other hand, the mature bucks typically like to introduce themselves to the new guy. It’s there own special way of letting them know that he’s the man and you best mind your place. When paired with both dominate buck and estrus urines, a buck decoy can bring results. However, because of the still burning urge to breed, a doe decoy and estrus urine combination works best. One way to avoid getting it busted by does is to set it in a less popular region of the food source. Hopefully, the buck’s urge to check every doe will bring him into shooting range. A better alternative is using the RoboCoy. Produced by Custom Robotic Wildlife in Mosinee, Wisconsin, it’s essentially a full body mount of a deer. Made with real deer hide covering a foam frame, it has built in robotics that allow for remote controlled movement of the head and tail. It’s the only decoy I’ve ever used that can consistently withstand close inspections from family groups and put them at ease, along with being a deadly draw for bucks. Conclusion By switching between using scents, decoys and relying on nothing but the placement of the stand, keying on food sources during the second rut can produce. The added advantage that this placement strategy yields is that it also has the ability to capitalize on bucks that don’t have any interest in does. Because the bucks still must recuperate from the rigors of the rut, they rely heavily on prime food sources. Hunting stand sites bordering food capitalizes on both of those possibilities.  

  Jun 13, 2011 1157