Everything Whitetails

You have to love when Archery season starts out like this, truly fires you up for what the bowhunting season may hold.

This is the first true monster of the 2013 season, shot the last week of Sept in southeastern Wisconsin. When I first saw the photos my jaw dropped that another Wisconsin state record could be broke again.

Then this Monster Alert came in from Ohio, Buck Owen, shot the giant that he’s been hunting for a few years. It’s supposed to an just flat out great story of hard work, dedication and perseverance for this free-range monster.  I hope to hear more of those details soon.

Hope the season is starting out this well for you! I am sure we will have many more to post about in the near future.

Hunt Safe!

Brandon C. Hammonds

If you hunt hard and I know you do because you are reading this.  You know how much top of the line gear means to you. Makes hunts in the cold, wet, nasty wind and all mother nature has to throw at you a little more enjoyable.

Gear such as Badlands, First Lite, Rivers West, ASAT, Prois, Haley Vines, REVA, Manzella, Minus33 and Terramar and more and Evo’s own line of premium casual wear.

http://www.evooutdoors.com/ has all that in a bag of tricks and a little more for those like me for that must have premium hunting camouflage.

So when your about to outfitter your next hunt big or small stop at http://www.evooutdoors.com/ first.

Hunt Well,

Brandon C. Hammonds

Visitors at Six Flag’s St. Louis location can enjoy roller coasters, raft rides, paintball, and now even bow-hunting that’s right bow-hunting.  Located in Eureka, Missouri, the amusement park actually owns several hundred acres of prime hunting ground. According to theEureka-Wildwood Patch, the park had closed its grounds to hunters for the past half-decade. Thanks to the efforts of one park employee, that is about to change.

At a meeting of the Eureka Board of Aldermen on Tuesday, a Six Flags employee presented a letter of permission from the park to hunt on the property. The board found no reason to deny the request.

“We approved the permit for bow hunting,” said Mayor Kevin Coffey. “Just that individual. Every individual would have to come up here and apply, and they have to have permission from Six Flags. They have to show us that they are in in a safe spot, hunting in a safe method.”

Six Flags previously denied hunters who came to the park for permission but may have had a change of heart due to a boom in deer numbers in the area. Visitor reviews of the park mention frequent deer sightings, even near some of the park’s most popular rides.

The hunts will be taking place far away from the amusement park proper and any residential areas. People looking to apply will need to contact both the Six Flags St. Louis management, as well as the Eureka board.

Hunt Well!,

Brandon C. Hammonds

Back after a little break and lets get after it.

There may be new restrictions on deer hunting next season.

According to the Department of Natural Resources, 12 counties in northwest Michigan are looking into Antler Point Restrictions.

The restrictions, pending final approval, will mean hunters will only be able to shoot deer with at least three antler points per rack side.

A survey was sent out to hunters in northwest Michigan asking if they support this move, and the DNR says 69% of hunters approved.

The information will now be passed on to the Natural Resource Commission, who will vote in the spring.

The DNR says the goal of the new rule is make deer herds with bigger antlered animals. The rule will keep younger bucks alive, as they won’t be allowed to be shot right away.

According to the DNR, many hunters have been playing by this rule for some time now.

Opponents of the restriction say it will cut down on opportunities for those hunters who may not have as much time.

The idea is based off of a rule in Leelanau County, which has hunters seeing more deer with bigger antlers.

The DNR says that because of the positive response through hunter surveys, it is likely it will be passed by the Natural Resource Commission in the spring.

Hunt Well,

Brandon C. Hammonds

Tony Knight, the founder of Knight Rifles muzzleloaders and a passionate advocate for muzzleloader hunting and shooting sports, died Monday in Iowa.

Knight was 67. He was born Dec. 21, 1945, in Kirksville, Mo. Knight was a veteran of the United States Army and served during the Vietnam War.

Tony Knight passionately lobbied openly and behind the scenes in numerous states for inclusion of his “inline rifle” for hunting seasons and for special muzzleloader-only seasons. He visited conservation board meetings, talked with state wildlife officials and legislators, and was available to writers and hunters for advice on muzzleloading information.

Similar to when compound bows began ushering in a new era in the hunting industry in the 1960s and 1970s, Knight’s modern muzzleloader and its components did the same. From the days of loose powder, caplocks and flintlocks to his easy-loading rifles, improved bullets and pellet powder charges, hunters found an easier way to enjoy “smoke poles” when pursuing big game. State agencies began adding in-line rifles to hunting seasons and today they’re just as much a part of hunting as campfire stories camo.

Without a doubt Tony’s vision opened a whole new door to the hunting community and that we are thankful for.

Hunt Safe, Hunt well

Brandon C. Hammonds

Word was received late yesterday afternoon of the death of archery industry pioneer bowmaker Tom Jennings, affectionately known by the moniker “Mr. Compound Bow,” for his decades of innovative bow designs with the Jennings Compound Bow company and subsequent collaborations with other manufacturers. Mr. Jennings, who had been in failing health for several months after suffering a broken hip in 2012, passed away at the home of his stepson, Matt Cavanaugh, in Columbia, Mo. around 4:00 p.m. Feb. 25. Prior to his recent physical problems, Mr. Jennings spent the past decade at his home on the Honduras coast.

Mr. Jennings was 88.

A 1999 inductee in the Archery Hall of Fame and Museum, Jennings built his first bow in 1936 at the age of 12. His was the first company licensed under the H. Wilbur Allen patent to manufacture the Jennings Compound Bow. His were the first 2- and 4-wheel compounds commercially produced and marketed.

In keeping with Mr. Jennings’ wishes, there will be no services. Friends report his body will be cremated, with a portion of the remains interred beside those of his late wife, and the remainder scattered near his beloved Honduran home.

Tom was a true legend for the Archery world and will be missed!

Hunt well, hunt safe

Brandon C. Hammonds

How I love big deer but with that passion comes allot of  so called Rumors.  Multiple times  every year a world record was shot in some guys back yard in a suburb of Detroit or Cincinnati or somewhere land.  But the truth may be shinning the light on a Huge IN buck.

Boone & Crockett has a Facebook page that makes me somewhat think that this has some legitimacy at this point.  If so how exciting for the great hunters and the great deer from the Hoosier state.  Unconfirmed at this time till B & C says its score, but this huge buck was green scored at 3097/8 

Hunt well,

Brandon C. Hammonds

It may be called a membership but people all over the country have learned and shared what QDMA stands for.  Don’t be confused or hostile; it’s not a “BIG  BUCK club!”.

The fundamentals are simple! Proven fact: a buck /doe ratio that is healthy and an upper-end age group that is also herd healthy.

Members or not, affects over the last decade have grown, I hope the growth continues.  It seems it will, now when hunters talk hardly ever do you not hear of a “management plan” or driving down a dirt road and seeing one of those parking lots signs that have the QDMA logo.

We must remember that number’s are number’s and that means it’s what is reported in that we get to learn and report out.  America’s hunting pastime deserves nothing less than that!

Please enjoy this QDMA Harvest report on 1.5 year old yearling bucks!

“What do we know about harvest rates of yearling bucks (1.5 years old) around the whitetail’s range? Here’s an interesting snapshot of data from our new 2013 Whitetail Report. Download and view the complete report here: http://bit.ly/OtQmRK”

Hunt safe, hunt well!

Brandon C. Hammonds

Back in October, I touched on the joy that the first frost brought an end to EHD that plagued most of the Midwest. Sadly up till that frost Giant Whitetails were dying daily here in the mid-west.  Thinking now what a short lived joy that was that the frost came so late, so now I ask what’s next.

Not sure if I can answer that, I wish I knew what the future holds for the many hunters and land owners affected by EHD but I can’t sadly.

I know that with me it starts as with any other year the weekend’s mornings just walking each farm and trying to take in all the information about, what survivors made it thru another winter. Taking this time is really just a small step to the rebuilding process (Which may take years) but the first step is the most important.

You can read the October blog below.

Hunt Well, Hunt Safe

Brandon C. Hammonds

FROST EQUALS THE END TO EHD!

October 9, 2012, 6:51 pm |

Frost equals the end to EHD!

I have never ever celebrated the first frost as much as I have this year. EHD has really put a major hurt on my farm here in MI and as well in Illinois where my lease is. Sadly my MI farm was really in the heart of the most reported cases of EHD. I have been part of finding over 33 here in Southern MI. My lease in Illinois is around 20 that we have found.

Right Now the state of MI has over 8490 confirmed EHD deaths. Illinois has reports of 40 of the 106 counties in the state with EHD.

I am going to breathe a little easier knowing its over for this year, but the damage has really been done and the recover process begins.

Here are sadly some of the deer I’ve found between MI and ILL (caution graphic)

The monster year Wisconsin bucks continues. It has been a year for the record books for sure in Wisconsin and this buck proves again why the cheese-head state is 1 of the top 5 states at any given time.

Congrats Lifelong hunter Robert Gramoll of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

This big boy scores 202 green!

Hunt Well, Hunt safe.

Brandon C. Hammonds