July 2013

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Broadhead debate!!!

What’s better Fixed or mechanical broadheads? There are pros and cons to both and everyone has an opinion on what is better. We want to hear what you think and what your opinion is! Whoever makes the best argument in this blog I will try the broadhead you recommend this year out of my Ghost 350 crossbow so let’s hear it! Head over to the Deer Camp Talk (blog) page and weigh in!

Show it off

Do you have a nice rack? Be proud of it and show it off send pictures of your antlers to us and we will feature them next month on the main article page. Tell us the story that goes with them so we can let everyone know about your nice rack. Click the submit button to share your rack and story with us.

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Year round scouting

                Do you have to be a genius to understand deer? Why is year round scouting important? These two questions go hand in hand and when you understand one you will understand the other. I’m going to take a few minutes to describe and answer these questions.
                Do you have to be a genius to understand whitetail deer? No you don’t all you have to do is be able to understand whitetail, the environment they live in, and how to execute a well thought out plan. Understanding whitetail and the environment will give you the ability to come up with a well thought out plan.
                Your plan should include all the aspects you learn from year round scouting. When you scout after deer season the deer will still be in there winter patterns, the majority of vegetation is dead, the trails are still fresh, and you have a chance to see what bucks made it through the season.
                Summer scouting is a great time to get pictures of bucks and see how there antlers changed from last year. The bucks will be in bachelor groups so you’re able to see them together. The bachelor groups will separate by deer season and that is why preseason scouting is important.
                Preseason scouting will make or break your hunting season. The bachelor groups have broken up and have now got their own territories. The dominant buck gets first choice so you need to know what he wants or why he would pick an area. That is where understanding the environment a whitetail lives in comes into play.
                Understanding the environment is a key to understanding whitetail. The things you have to figure out are pressure, food, cover, water, doe population, weather, and terrain. All the previous stated play a role in the environment and will determine the area the dominant buck choses to live, breed, travel, and feed.
                The mature buck in the area will choose the area that offers the best of all of those and he will fight to defend that area. If you know were the best area is it will most likely stay that way from year to year depending on the food source. The main thing that will change it is a mass terrain change like logging, clearing an area, flooding, fire, or a tornado knocking down lots of trees.
                Now that you understand whitetail deer and there environment you and know how to create a well thought out plan. It should be coming together and you should be seeing it doesn’t take a genius to understand deer. by scouting all year it makes it easier to understand whitetail I know some very smart guys that don’t understand them but I know guys that didn’t get out of high school with a diploma that understand deer and almost every year have a successful hunt. That’s because they understand the deer there environment and can execute a well thought-out plan. So you see it doesn’t take a genius it takes someone that understands the environment and the animal they hunt to be successful.

Moon conditions mid-day,after noon, and evening hunts

Mid-day and after noon

                Mid-day hunts are normally best when you are hunting a funnel, saddle, or some other type of natural corridor. Mid-day is when most hunters are getting up from there stands to move to another location or head to camp to eat lunch. Stay in the woods at this time because as hunters get up and start moving out of the woods they can push deer to you. If you are going to hunt another location for the latter half of the day move latter but at this time you want to be hunting the funnels and natural corridors. The pressured deer should move through those areas to get away from the hunters leaving and moving around.
                In the afternoon the hunters that left will be coming back to their stands and could push deer your way just like mid-day hunting hunt a well-used trail on a saddle or another corridor. Use the pressure to your advantage and sit tight in one of these areas.

Evening

No moon-                           the deer will be up feeding well before dark and heading to feeding locations early. So hunt the trails leading to feeding areas or just set up for the feeding area since the deer are going to be there before dark.

Partial moon-                     a lot like no moon the deer will be heading to the feeding locations early hunt like you would if there was no moon. Maybe deeper in the woods on the trail leading to the feeding location but there is no need to be super deep in the woods from a feeding location.

Full moon-                          The deer won’t be in the fields and feeding until after dark or super late. Follow the trail deeper into the woods closer to the bedding location and you should see the deer before shooting hours end. If you hunt close to a feeding area you will probably see those same deer but it will be after shooting hours and as you leave your stand you will put pressure on the deer and make them more nocturnal even when there is no moon.

Moon conditions Mid-Morning hunts

No Moon-                           Stay in your stand don’t spot and stalk don’t scout during the hunt stay in your stand that is on or near a feeding location or on a well-used trail. The deer should be moving all day so it’s the best time to hunt the entire day bring your lunch with you and stay in the woods until you can’t hunt any longer.

Partial moon-                     The deer should be moving most of the day! Stay in your stand and hunt the well-used trails. If you’re hunting near a bedding area it’s going to be latter in the morning then when you have a bright moon.

Half-moon-                         The deer will be done feeding and heading to bed by mid-morning so hunt near a bedding location and stay all day. If the buck bedded down before you got to your stand he will eventually get up to go to the bathroom, browse, and get a drink then bed down again.

Full moon-                          The deer should be bedded down by mid-morning so if you don’t like were you have been hunting stay in your stand until mid-morning near a bedding location and then do some scouting or plan for an all-day hunt near the bedding area since they will stick around it all day long.

                For lunch if you aren’t bringing your lunch with you leave your stand latter and come back sooner. The longer you are in the woods and in your stand the higher your chances are of tagging out. Don’t spend hours in camp during the day eating or just sitting around. When the mass amount of hunters leave the woods to eat you want to be in your stand same with when they all come back. Deer will get pushed as hunters come in and out of the woods so you want to be ready for the deer to come your way to get away from the hunters coming and going.

Rules for Crossbows in Missouri

            Missouri law defines a crossbow as: “(16) Crossbow: A device for discharging quarrels or bolts, formed of a bow set crosswise on a stock, usually drawn by means of a mechanism and discharged by release of a trigger.”
            The Missouri Wildlife Code allows hunters to use a crossbow during all firearms hunting seasons (except during turkey and muzzle loader deer seasons).
            The hunter must have a hunter education certification card to purchase permits and hunt, unless otherwise exempt due to age, apprentice hunter authorization, or a developmental disability exemption.
            During archery and/or turkey seasons, any individual who physically cannot use a bow or firearm may hunt with a crossbow after applying for and receiving a medical exemption, physician’s statement of eligibility. This form is available on the MDC website or at any MDC office.

            I use a cross bow due to an injury I received when I was in the military and have done a lot of researching on the regulations. You can use a crossbow during rifle season for deer without a permit. To use a crossbow during turkey season and archery season you have to have a permit. There are no regulations on axle to axle, overall length, or poundage for a crossbow. Make sure if you do have a permit and are using your crossbow during archery season you carry your crossbow permit with you along with your hunting tags.
            I have noticed that if a conservation agent sees you in the field with a crossbow it does draw attention to you because they don’t see them very often make sure your legal because they are going to check and make sure you have it.
            You don’t have to get a disability check to receive the permit you just have to be physically unable to use a regular bow. Your doctor will have to describe why you can’t use a bow. A crossbow give hunters that are unable to use a compound bow a way to continue to hunt that they would otherwise not be able to do.
            My thoughts on using a crossbow is that whatever you have to do to continue to hunt is acceptable I think Missouri is spot on with their regulations. My feelings are if you can’t use a compound bow and you still want to be able to bow hunt you should have a way to do it and a crossbow is the way it can happen.

A night like tonight!

            A night like tonight makes me sit back and dream about the magical mystical whitetail bucks feeding under the bright moon light. With no clouds in the sky and a bright half full moon high in the sky I know the deer are out feeding tonight. It makes me think about the monsters that we all want to hang on our wall and how they act as they are growing there amazing racks. When a buck is in velvet he walks a gentle graceful walk he doesn’t want to hurt his rack they are very delicate and the bucks know that. They are spending their time feeding on nutritious food right now they know what food they need to be healthy. These mystical animal are depleting there body right now to grow the antlers that we all want to hang on our wall and a night like this I know they are out feeding and replenishing the nutrition there by is using to grow there antlers.
            Nights like tonight I’m glad I’m not preparing for a hunt in the morning because the deer will be out feeding all night even though it’s not a full moon it’s bright enough that they can feed all night long and be bedded down before day light. With a bright moon like this the deer won’t be moving much during the day if they will be moving at all it will be to get a drink of water and moving to a cooler place.
            When you understand the way deer move and feed you will have more success. Deer have amazing eyesight but they still don’t see that great in the dark. When there is more light put off from the moon you can bet they are using it. They will be out feeding anytime the moon is bright and the weather is right. A full moon is when they will be out the longest.
            The way you can hunt and be successful during deer season with a night like tonight would be to hunt the stand closest to a bedding area and hope you get him on his way to bed. Or hunt between a bedding area and a water source and hunt it all day to catch him moving from bed to water. When it’s hot like it was last season the deer are going to get up to drink water and stay hydrated and you best shot is going to be trying to ambush him on his way there or back.
            Enjoy your dreams of amazing bucks feeding with amazing bone growing from their heads because I know I am and on nights like tonight I’m not that productive thinking about the monsters that roam the woods.

Conversation with an expert

            I recently had the great privilege to talk with a whitetail deer expert we talked mostly about whitetail deer hunting. We talked about a lot and I’m going to pass the information I learned on to you. Some of the topics included Missouri law, improving your deer herd, food plots, antler development, and feeding deer. The information was very good and I learned a lot these are the highlights of our conversation and I’m already behind on a few things for this season. On Tuesday I plan on taking care of some of it but next year I will make sure not to fall behind.
             Something he pointed out to me that I have heard before but didn’t really understand is that a bucks velvet antlers can grow an inch a day. I have heard that before but what I didn’t know is that when they say an inch a day they are talking about each time can grow an inch a day. He told me if they have good genetics and the right nutrition you can take a picture of a buck one day and then the next day you will see a noticeable difference. He also told me that that if you see a buck that has antlers growing more from the side of his head then on top will mean the buck should have a very wide spread.
            He told me that you need to have your feed and mineral out in January. It needs to be out before they even start growing there antlers since they haven’t been eating much threw the winter and need to build up the nutrition levels to be healthy to produce better antlers. You need to also need to keep feeding them until they shed their velvet or until you have to remove the feed to hunt. If they don’t have the right food and nutrition there potential is lowered.
            We started talking about Missouri law and something he pointed out to me is that the law is written very vague on baiting. The law says that you can’t hunt over bait until it has been completely gone for ten days. That means if you throw out whole cobs of corn in a pile even if all that is left is the cob you can’t hunt that area unit it has been gone for ten days. That means in theory if you put out any type of feed in the off season they can most likely right you a ticket for baiting because let’s be honest every piece of bait you put out wont completely be gone for years. His advice was if you’re going to feed put it in a black tub and 10 days before season take it out.
            For food plots he informed me that a certain type of soybean is the best for deer and for the life of me I can’t remember what the type was. He said what the deer eat are the leafs when they are green and that soybeans are better than anything you can plant for antler development and deer herd health the nutrition in soybeans helps for fawn development and lactating does.
            From what he knows and has learned he said that the best way to grow better bucks is to thin down your doe heard and it will bring the buck to doe ratio back down to where it needs to be. Does eat throughout the entire year were as bucks don’t eat much at all during the rut. The does will eat most of the food and cut down on what the bucks have left to eat after the rut. So to grow bigger deer you need to shoot the mature does the does that snort need to be shot. He said never pass on a doe.
            I have had mineral out for quite a few months now but I haven’t been putting out a food supplement and I don’t have a food plot out so I’m behind the game. I can’t put out a food plot due to where I hunt but I can put out a food supplement. What I took from our conversation today I’m going work on thinning down the doe herd this year and next year I will be putting out a food supplement in January. I plan on hunting the same property for many many years to come and plan on bringing my daughter with me to hunt the same area. So they work and effort I put in now should pay off in years down the road.

Truly an amazing Buck

Thanks Becker for the pictures this buck is truly a monster I hope you can hang him on your wall this year. Keep the pictures coming and I will make sure to keep them posted.

Archived articles

The old articles are being moved to archived articles it will be under the more tab. All the articles that have been posted on the Hillbilly Huntin website will stay they are just moving. The most recent three months can still be found by holding your mouse over Just My Thoughts. Use the Archived articles can be used to go back and read about everything from weather conditions to phases of the rut and how to scout. So don’t forget about them.

Newest Recipes

These are the newest recipes added on the wild game recipes page go check them out and give them a try! Hold your mouse over more to find the page or just click Wild Game Recipes here.

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Garlic onion tomato chicken

Grilled bacon corn on the cob with green chili butter

Grilled bacon wrapped dove breast

Venison Sausage Bread

Venison stir fry

Apple salad

Injured Doe

            I sent the picture from my trail camera of the doe with the injury to her neck and ears to the Missouri department of conservation explaining the area and the picture and asked a few questions and this is the response to the email.

Mr. Hillbilly:
            The ticks behind the ear look like what we usually see. I shared your photo with our wildlife veterinarian regarding the area on the top of the shoulder. Below are her thoughts:
            Although it’s difficult to tell from the photo, it looks like either an old wound/abscess or perhaps even a botfly/warble infestation on the doe’s shoulder. Either way, it does not look actively infected or irritating to the deer-you can see the smooth margins and the presence of hair which indicates the doe is not actively rubbing or irritating the area. None of these conditions are “contagious”, or pose a risk to the deer herd.
            The image becomes too fuzzy when I try to enlarge it, but it looks like there may be an infection with a fly larva known as Cuterebra. While this infection is more common in rabbits and rodents, deer can carry the parasites. For more information, check out the following website:

http://michigan.gov/dnr/1,1607,7-153-10370_12150_12220-26354--,00.html

Hope this helps!

Tim E. Smith
MDC Ombudsman
573/522-4115 ext. 3848

            It will be interesting to see the pictures I get and what happens with this doe when I go next week to check the camera. I hope it doesn’t spread to other deer in this area since she looks much slimmer and unhealthy compared to the other deer. I hope they are right and that she will be fine and it’s not contagious but we will see as time goes on.

New places to hunt.

            Looking for a new place to hunt right now is prime time to be cruising country roads looking out glassing fields for bucks in velvet. When you’re looking for new places to hunt the best way to start is look at a map and figure out the furthest distances you want to travel or the time you want to spend driving there. Then you start driving the roads looking for good property the shows potential. When you find that figure out who owns the property and go see them explain to them that you want to get hunting rights to their property and that you don’t mind helping out around their place to gain that privilege.
            When you start talking to them your goal is to show them that you are an ethical hunter that you will share your harvest and that you won’t screw up their property. Remember one person can jack it up for everyone.
            Offer to help them around their place or to share the deer you take off their property. Remember to let them know if you want to bow hunt only or when you would be hunting that makes a difference. If they sat that’s fine still call ahead of time and if you want to bring someone with you ask don’t just assume that since you have permission anyone that you want can go with you.
            Back to the glassing make sure you have a good set of binoculars and just drive the roads slowly and safely. Watch the edges of wood lines at dusk for deer slipping out into the fields to feed. Right now is suck a great time because most farmers have mowed there fields and bailed there hay so it’s short and is green so the deer should stick out easily. With the temperatures headed up again the deer will feed later in the evening so be patient.
            You can do the same in the mornings when you get the chance both times are nice enjoy a nice cup of coffee and role the windows down before it gets warm. Build a relationship with the land owner and you never know you might make a best friend in the process of trying to find a new place to hunt.

Little Hillbilly deer farm trip

I took my daughter to a local deer farm Wednesday she was able to bottle feed some fawns hand feed some does and see some world class bucks. To her they were mommy deer daddy deer and baby deer. She didn’t want to leave she would have stayed there if we let her. She had an amazing time and absolutely loved it. She wanted to go back today I’m sure we will arrange for her to go back!

The Hillbilly caught checking the trail camera

what did this?

The Hillbilly went and checked the trail camera and we got 30 some pictures alot of them were this doe with an injury on the back of her neck. What do you think caused it? Maybe a mountain lion? Or a gun shot? Maybe it was just an injury? Let's hear what you think. Have you gotten any pictures of injured deer that you don't know what caused the injury? Send them in and we can talk about them and see what every one thinks. Go comment on the Deer Camp Talk page about what you think did this.

Weather factors now

                What does the weather now mean for us this fall? What’s the weather been like this year compared to last year? How will it affect this year’s deer season? What weather factors mean for deer season? Can you look at our weather now and predict anything in November? These are all questions that have been in the back of my head rattling around that have given me many hours of thinking. I will be explaining the answers and tell you what it means for me.
                What has the weather been like this year compared to last? Well if you look at weather trends and compare the weather from last year to this year you will see we are incredibly cooler this year then we were last year. By this time last year we were in a drought and excited for every drop of rain we could get. This year we are getting lots of rain and some places across the country are being flooded. If you look back at our winter you will see it was a mild one and we didn’t have many if any deep freezes.
                What does the weather now mean for us this fall? Let’s start with last year super high temperature and no rain. Last year opening day of rifle season here in Missouri it was 80+ degrees the deer weren’t moving much and with the temperatures so high and drought conditions we were under burn bans across the country. This year we are having cool temperatures and lots of rain the way it’s going to effect this year’s deer season is deer will have more food sources and browsing to use. The deer now are able to get lots of water stay well hydrated and healthier. The leaves and vegetation are going to be growing like crazy unlike last year. Deer won’t be focusing on water sources like they did last year so our deer herd is going to be more spread out.
                No major freezes this year could be a major factor. Your now scratching your head saying Hillbilly how do you figure the? The way I figure that having no major freezes this year is a big factor is because of what having major freezes do for us. What the major freezes do for us is kill bugs like ticks, chiggers, mosquitoes, and fly’s. I have already been hearing guys talk about seeing deer with injuries around their eyes. I thought the same thing when I say trail cam pictures and after research and talking with conservationist I found out that what I thought was an injury was actually botfly/warble infestation or an infection with a fly larva known as Cuterebra. Without having a major freeze the flies made it through the winter and are reproducing. The same thing goes for ticks and chiggers my trips to the woods to check my trail camera have brought me home covered in them. What does that mean for deer? Deer ticks are going to be incredibly bad this year!
                When you take all this into consideration what does it mean for your deer season this November? Last year a lot of hunters stuck to the fields because the acorns and food sources were so limited last year. That most likely not going to be the case this year and hunters are going to have to hunt the woods do extra scouting and figure out where the deer are moving and bedding down. Other hunters new the water sources were limited and with as hot as it was deer were concentrating around water. With the rain we are getting this year the wet weather creeks and ponds are going to have water in them and the deer are going to be able to find those water sources and will be able to spread out.
                This season could possibly be a difficult season to locate deer because they will have water and food available throughout the woods. Scouting and preseason scouting will be very much more important this year compared to last. Locating bedding areas and well used trails will be the key. You can’t forget to find the staging areas in the woods that the deer will be at before they go feed in the fields. Last year the staging areas were a moot point because there really weren’t any and the only food sources were the fields. Make sure to do your scouting locate the deer find the bedding areas and prepare for a season with lots of bugs is what I’m getting at if we don’t get a cold season this year. I don’t know how cold this season will be but I will say I don’t expect it to be in the 80’s again this year. This won’t be a season were all the hunters are sweating sitting watching ponds and fields. Hopefully this season will be cold and the bugs will die down but the summer and fall pesky bugs are already here.
                Can you really predict anything concerning the weather now for November? By no means am I a meteorologist so I can’t predict the weather what I can do is look at the weather now and compare it to last year. Yes we could end up having the worst heat wave in history along with no rain and then I will be going back on my words and eating crow about the wet weather creeks and ponds, along with food sources. You can predict anything if you do enough research and look at trends. It’s part of hunting and Mother Nature nothing is a guaranty so you can do your best to predict the future but you never know. What I have done is take the weather now and used an educated guess of how the weather will effect deer season. So can you predict anything concerning the weather now for November yes you can we will just have to see come November how my prediction hold up.

Track tips

                Most hunters go by track length to determine if the track they found belongs to a mature buck but here’s a little tip for you. Track width is normally a better indicator for determining the age of a buck. The reason is because the tips of the hoofs will break and wear down if the area you hunt is really rocky. That is why track length can be misleading.

Yearling buck- 2 inches wide
2 ½ year old buck- 2 ¼ to 2 ½ inches wide
3 ½ - 4 ½ year old buck- 3 to 3 ½ inches wide
(This is just a guide to give you an idea since deer very in size in different regions)

                When a buck reaches maturity at about 4 ½ his front hoofs will leave deeper tracks then younger deer because of the weight the older buck have more of. When a buck gets older the 4 ½ his toes will start to point out from wearing down.
                I just thought I would share these tips with you on estimating a buck’s age by looking at his tracks. Remember the more rocky the ground is in your area the more worn down a deer’s hoofs will be.

Lucky

            If you can’t make it to the woods before daylight and you don’t know how to figure out where to hunt at say 10am when you make it to the woods I’m going to explain some things for you to consider. Don’t skip hunting one day because you can’t make it to the woods for a morning hunt. Consider these things phase of the rut, moon phase, temperature, wind, weather conditions, and time you will make it to the woods. If you can’t make it to the woods before day light this is an article for you.
            First you need to have a map actually two one topographical and one aerial map. Second you need to know the weather conditions for the day and what’s expected that night. Third you need to know what time of day you will make it to the woods and last and certainly not least you need to know what the moon looked like that night. Now that you know all of that you’re asking what to do with all this information that you have gathered.
            Why do you need to know what the moon looked like last night? If you don’t know if the moon was bright, dark, or covered moon you won’t know if the deer were on their feet all the night before. Without that that information you don’t know where to start and it would be hard for me to help you. If the moon was bright you need to hunt near the bedding areas. If the moon was dark or covered you need to be hunting a well-used trail leading to or from a food source.
            With weather you need to know temperature, wind, rain, and what’s expected that day and night. What does weather has to do with were you need to hunt? If it’s hot you need to hunt and be on a trail leading to water. If there is a big storm moving in you need to hunt near feeding areas or trails leading to those areas. The wildlife knows the weather before any weather forecaster. If it has been cold and windy they will be bedded down on the side of a hill or ridge in the sun. They will bed on the side of a hill that blocks the wind.
            Time of day is a big thing to consider but you have to look at the before mentioned conditions. If it’s a bright moon and they have been feeding all night they will get up and browse, go to the bathroom, and get a drink then bed down again in late morning or afternoon. If it’s been a dark or covered moon all night you will need to hunt trails heading to bedding areas and thick cover. You have to think about the deer movement when you think about time of day; what will they be doing and why?
            After all of that now you throw in a curve ball called the Rut it’s a nasty pitch because you have different phases of the Rut and it doesn’t matter the time of day during certain phases of the Rut bucks will be chasing does. The only thing that matters is moon phase. Bucks will bed down for short amounts of time even when the Rut is in full swing. If it’s a dark or covered moon then they won’t bed down during the day they will be chasing all day long.
            During the Rut shift your attention to hunting does and what they will be doing. If you can put yourself on does you can find bucks. Think of the Rut like a new road on an old map. You have to map it out yourself.
            Last but not least your maps! Why do you need them? Take everything you gathered and the maps and find what you need on them water, hills or ridges blocking the wind, natural funnels, and feeding area map it out and hunt them.
            To conclude this article I will say some closing thoughts and things to keep in the back of your mind. If you stay home you have zero chance of filling your tags. Don’t just hunt mornings and evenings most hunters leave the woods in the afternoon and are cutting their chances in half by that. Many monsters are killed on mid-day hunts. People and other hunters may say you’re lucky when you fill your tag on a mid-day hunt but luck is found at the roads of hard work and opportunity. You can do all the scouting, preparation, and planning you want but if you aren’t in the woods giving yourself the chance you can’t be lucky. Being lucky is just a way of saying you worked your butt off, put yourself in the right place, and put the time into hunting to bring home your trophy.

Moon conditions morning hunts

No Moon-                           If there was no moon over night that means the deer weren’t able to be up feeding all night. Deer can see better then we can but there night vision still isn’t that great so with the lack of light they won’t be feeding and running around.

                The deer will be on their feet and heading to feed early that correlates into you need to hunt near there feeding location and stay away from bedding areas. Concentrate on trails leading to the feeding area or just the feeding area be set up well before day light

Partial Moon-                    The deer won’t have feed very late but will be up in moving a little earlier and heading to feeding locations before day light.

                You might get a late deer heading to the feeding area but most likely without jumping a few deer. Try and hunt near a food source but on a trail the deer use to both come to and leave the field. Watch the edges of fields for deer waiting for day light to make it into the field.

Half Moon-                         The deer will have left the field after dark and be able to see earlier so they will have been on their feet well before day light and feeding or well on their way to feeding. It will be difficult to ambush them on their way to feed. Some deer will have eaten so much the night before they will be moving late in the morning.

                  You have multiple options you can hunt a trail leading to the feeding area or away from it. You can also still hunt the feeding area. There will probably be deer in the field already by the time you can legally shoot but there should still be deer coming throughout the morning.

Full Moon-                          A bright or full moon means the deer have been able to see all night and have been feeding and on their feet throughout the night. The closer it gets to the rut the more they will be running around on the nights the moon is bright.

                Hunting feeding areas most likely won’t get your tags filled what you should do is hunt near a bedding area hunt a trail leading from a feeding area to a bedding area and stay there all day.

                Just because it’s a full, half, or partial moon doesn’t mean that it will have the same effect every time because you have clouds. Deer will physically be able to tell they are supposed to be feeding and up on their feet. The problem is they can’t see due to clouds. They will be up on their feet but won’t be out feeding and will move when they can start to see.

                Clear nights are nights I personally don’t like because deer will be more active at night then during the day. Something that might sound strange to people but if you are driving to your hunting grounds as you drive look at the cattle in the fields if they are standing and up then the deer will be to. If they are lying down then the deer will be bedded down. I don’t know if it’s proven or not but it’s something I was taught years ago and so far it has seemed to be accurate. So keep your eyes to the fields when you’re driving to your location.

Posters

We have recently started making Hillbilly Huntin posters feel free to copy them and share them with anyone you want or on any social media forum you feel like. Make sure to check back often to see the new ones we add. If you want to be the first to see the posters make sure to follow us on Facebook and you will see them before they get added to the site. Click here to go see the posters or hold your mouse over the picture tab and when the other tabs drop down click on posters.

Bacon wrapped tenderloin

This is another one that I measured nothing so you will just have to mess with it until it tastes good to you.

Dry rub-
Garlic
Season all meat tenderizer
Season salt
Chili powder
Cavenderzs
Garlic barbeque herb seasoning
Chopped onion
Pepper

Glaze-
Yellow mustard
Brown sugar
Maple syrup
1lb bacon
Tenderloin

Rub in your dry rub on the tenderloin then
Lay bacon flat side by side or over lapping a little until you have enough pieces that you can lay the tenderloin on it then wrap the bacon around the tenderloin.
Then put the dry rub on again put the meat on a plate or in a pan completely cover the meat with your glaze put it on thick!
Then put in the refrigerator for 30 min to an hour.
Soak whatever wood chips you want to use in water and let them soak for an hour.
If you’re cooking it on a grill cover half the grill with aluminum foil the other half make a aluminum foil boil and put your wood chips and water in it.
Only use half your grill for heat turn it on low/ medium
Cook for 4 to 5 hours check every hour. Make sure to keep water in your wood chips and poor or spray apple juice on the meat.
After the 4 to 5 hours take the meat off the grill and put it in the oven on warm for 30 min put more apple juice on it and leave it.
After 30 min use a sharp knife or electric knife and cut it into thin pieces
The bacon won’t stay on it so move it to another plate cut it up and use it as toppings for the meat.

Sense of Smell

            What is a deer’s strongest sense? How can you fool it? How do you put the cards in your favor? There are many products and things you can do to fool a wise old deer but if you skip some steps there’s a chance you will never even see that buck before he knows your there. In this article we are going to discuss how you can up your odds on fooling that buck.
            The biggest advantage a deer has is his nose there is no debate about it. The sense of smell is the strongest sense they have. Don’t get me wrong all the senses a deer have are stronger than ours and we are the predator. Hearing and eyesight can be just as devastating to a hunter as smell but the sense of smell is the strongest and best weapon a deer has.
            We as humans are covered in smells so how do we fool a wise old buck’s nose? You need to start from the way you wash yourself. Most of us use soap with a strong aroma you can’t use that either wash off with no soap I know you won’t be as clean but you will be rinsed off. Or you can get soap that has no smell they have even made soap that smells like dirt or acorn. Next you normally brush your teeth it is important but if you’re trying to eliminate scent skip the normal way you do it and eat an apple. Apples clean your teeth and until you can brush them. Wash your clothes in scent free detergent and you lots of scent eliminators. There are more and more products coming out every year for this. I will be testing a few out this year and letting you know how it goes.
            Now that you have done everything you can to eliminate your scent it’s time to make sure you have it all covered. The way you do this is cover scents, there are more cover scent products then you and I can count together so find one that matches the area your hunting and spray yourself your gear and everything going into the woods with you. Make sure to use some kind of cover scent on your boots I like fox urine. Boots carry more scent then most of your other gear put together so try and cover it.
            The best way to put the cards in your favor is to add scent that will spark there interest and make them want to come in. if you have done everything you can to eliminate your scent you have to turn their best sense against them. Deer are curious animals and they have an amazing sense of smell so by throw out things that they will smell and want to come investigate like the different curiosity scents and deer lures you have now used their sense of smell against them.
            There are products you can buy for all of this scent wafers, lures, cover scents, scent eliminators, and clothing. There are other ways to help put odd in your favor like playing the wind but we will go through that latter. Make sure to stay as scent free as possible turn their advantage into a disadvantage and hopefully this year will be a successful year. Good luck and learn from everything you do!

Inherited mount

Hey Hillbilly this is the Mule deer rack that my grandson inherited from his grandpa Bob. 186 inches.
-Tom

What a great mount to pass on and so very cool that your family understands what amazing treasures mounts are and passes them on. Thank you for sharing this picture with us Tom
- The Hillbilly

Bedding areas

                What is the place a deer feels most comfortable? Where do bucks feel safest? How do you know where they are? Why do you need to find these areas? In this article we will answer all these questions and explain the importance. If you want to increase your odds at tagging a mature buck this season you should probably read this article.
                What is the place a deer feels most comfortable and safest? That would be where they bed down. A deer will only bed in a place they feel safe, there not going to bed down in an area that gets lots of pressure. When a deer beds down they are at their most vulnerable to predators. So they find the place they feel safest that they will be able to let their guard down.
                How do you know where these places are? Well bucks and does normally prefer different areas we will talk about bucks, mature bucks like seclusion, trophy bucks are loners when it comes to where they bed down. Mature bucks like to bed in areas that give a good view for danger. They will bed with the wind from there back and thick cover close by to get away incase danger does approach.
                Trophy bucks will bed just below a ridge, under a pine or cedar tree, in tall grass, or on a brushy slope. They do this for the view and quick escape into cover or over a ridge. They will also bed on field edges and just inside the wood line of thick cover. They pick the area that gives them the best advantage.
                How can you tell if the bed you found is a mature buck? Well the bed will be by its self. Since mature bucks are loners there won’t be fresh beds nearby. The bed will be 40 inches long if it’s a mature buck bed. The best way to know it’s a mature buck bedding there is the smell a mature buck will put off a musky smell if the bed is fresh you will be able to smell it just standing by it. If its older you may have to get down and smell the bed it won’t smell like sweat but it will have a distinct smell. You may find rubs or scrapes nearby and you will find droppings around or near the bedding location.
                If you find a large bed with small beds around it you have probably found a mature doe with fawns or yearlings. Don’t dismiss the area take some metal notes or write them down in a note book of possible stand locations because it’s probably worth placing a stand nearby during the rut.
                When you scout for bedding areas try and be scent free! When you find bedding areas don’t leave a ton of scent, don’t disrupt the bedding area, and just back out after taking mental notes or writing in your note book of possible stand locations, cover, and a direction of the feeding area.
                Don’t put your stand in the bedding area find a spot between bedding and feeding areas best circumstances you find a rub and scrape line place your standoff of that line. Use portable stands don’t drive a four wheeler to your stand and don’t cut down a lot of trees and limbs. Make the smallest disturbances as possible. You know the doe bed you found? During the rut and pre rut this area would be good since bucks are looking for does at this time.
                Finding bedding areas are so important because they feel safest and most comfortable near and in there bedding area. When pressure heats up mature bucks tend to head to these places bed down and don’t get up often or until just before dark. They will get up throughout the day to browse/feed and use the bathroom but they won’t move far from there bedding area. If you can find a mature bucks bedding are you have increased your chances at a mature buck by a lot.

Management hunt in Missouri

            Well I have put in for my management hunt in Missouri. The results won’t be out until September wish me luck. Have you put in for a management hunt? If you don’t get selected for the hunt you put in for it gives you preference points for the next year the preference points build up every year you don’t get selected. You can choose from archery to muzzleloader to center fire.
             The hunt I have selected is archery and I will be able to take one buck and one doe. It will be the week before rifle season and I have the time off if I don’t get selected for the hunt I will hunt my regular area with my bow and it will just give me preference points for next year.
            Who is putting in for a management hunt and what hunt are you putting in for? What made you decide to pick that hunt? Good luck on being selected and good luck this season.

Turning him nocturnal!

            How do you scout for a mature buck without disturbing him and turning him nocturnal? Well there are things you can do to put the odds in your favor but nothing is a guaranty. Time of day and weather are big factors in scouting along with scouting from a distance and your computer. But preparation for scouting is the biggest factor.
            To start off with during the late spring and summer I’m sure you see tons of deer in fields and in places you never see them during deer season. How and why does this happen? Well other than turkey hunters there aren’t too many people in the woods during this time of year so deer don’t feel pressured or threatened as the season nears the woods start flooding with hunters doing preseason scouting as the volume of hunters increases the deer change their patterns and may got nocturnal feeling the pressure.
            When you go on scouting trips the time you are in the woods will affect the deer’s reactions if you can make your scouting trips in the woods from about 11am to 3pm you should miss the high movement times and only bump deer not see them as they move about on their daily routine. By not running into deer on their daily movement it’s less likely that you turn the mature bucks nocturnal.
            If your near your hunting area before 11am scout from the road drive the roads surrounding your hunting property when you see deer crossing the road or standing in the field you can monitor were they are crossing were they enter and leave the field and your able to do this from a distance if you have a good set of binoculars.
            The weather you choose to do your scouting will affect the reaction of the deer as well. Heading to the woods on a day that would be perfect for hunting is a bad day for scouting. Head to the woods for a scouting trip when the weather is bad high winds and rain would be great not for you though. It makes for a long day when you’re soaked to the bone and it’s windy. The reason you want to go to the woods on a windy rainy day is because your scent and noise will be less. The deer will be moving very little and you have a less chance of effecting the daily movement of the deer.

            Scouting from your computer is one of the best technology advances the hunter industry has. You are able to look at topographical maps and aerial photos of the property. By looking at the two you can cut down on the footwork and time in the woods by looking for natural barriers and travel routs like saddles, ridges, glades, and bluffs. Look for water sources, hidden fields, and ridges as well.
            Farmers often see deer in the fields when they are driving on their tractors and the deer don’t seem affected the reason is because the deer are used to seeing the farmers tractor often or at least on a regular basis. If you can scout your property often were camouflage and carry a pack like you would during deer season the deer will get used to you and as the summer goes on the deer will be less effected by your trips by deer season they won’t think anything about you.

Pictures sent in!

I have received a lot of pictures and haven’t had a chance to put them on some I’m doing it now they will be in the appropriate picture pages as well as here. Congregations everyone that bagged there game over the years and thank you for sending them to us. Remember to send in your pictures so we can add them to the sight.

Checking the cam!

Well Tuesday I went and check my trail camera and it was an ok trip. I saw 3 deer and two eagles. It wasn’t too hot it was a real nice day. I made it to my trail came in about 45 minutes and was able to find a few new places to scout out this year. My trail camera had been down there for a week to the day and I only had 30 pictures. It’s better than last time when it had been down for two weeks and the SD card was locked and I got no pictures. I switched mineral and it’s not working as good as I like. I mixed stock salt with the mineral this week and we will see how it works. I am also leaving the camera down two weeks before I go back. I will also be adding a few things and adjusting the camera.

My trail camera results weren’t that good I only had one buck on camera and he was a spike. I did get some pictures of a doe with an injury on the back of her neck it could be anything. There are mountain lions and bears in that area so it could be a bite. The doe looks very sick and the injury doesn’t look good my guess is she won’t make it to deer season.
So how’s everyone doing with your trail camera? Any good pictures? What are you using to get your deer to come to your mineral site? Good luck and I hope everyone gets some good pictures to send in!

Independence Day

            With Independence Day two days away and being so near and dear to my heart and everything I stand for I wanted to write another post about it. Thank every veteran you know let them know your proud of what they have done. Veterans present and passed are very special people and deserve the most respect you can give a person there sacrifices and dedication is not measurable some have paid the price with their life and all have signed a blank check to the government the price they pay is blank because it could be from time spent in service to their life and anything in between.
            These men and woman walk among us as normal people with stature and since of pride that separates them from the rest of the population. You can look threw a crowd and pick out the veterans they stand tall they are shining with pride. When they see the flag flying you will see a twinkle in their eye as they watch Old Glory blow in the wind. Most seek no recognition but it is deserved!
            When you see a veteran over this week and any other make sure to say thank you! Let them no your proud of them and shake their hand. Stand tall speak loud and show your support for the serves member past and present that have given so much. Be proud of our flag pay your respect and have a great week. Enjoy Independence Day being safe celebrating on the 4th of July.

What does the 4th of July mean to you?

            The 4th of July is coming up and just around the corner so I’m going to take this time to say my thoughts on the 4th of July and what I’m thinking about when I think of it. I have also got a few people to tell me what they think of and how the 4th makes them feel.
            When I think of the 4th of July I think about fireworks, BBQ’s, hot temperatures’ and freedom. My best memories are being at the Marshfield rodeo staying until the end and watching the big firework show with some of the best people I have ever met. Spending most of my money when I was younger on all the fireworks I could afford and shooting them off all night. Now that I am older I really understand what the 4th of July means.
            The 4th of July stands for freedom and the wars we have been in defending freedom. Being a war veteran when I think of the 4th of July I think of how proud I am to be an American and fly my flag with honor and defend her with every bit of strength I have. Anymore when I see fireworks explode in the night sky I’m not seeing or thinking of the fireworks I’m thinking about the bombs that so many veterans have watch explode and they still fight. Trembling legs and shaky hands are strengthened and steadied by god and the emotions and fears are held back by the young men and women defending our country.
            I will take extra time on the 4th of July to think about all the men and woman I served with along with all those who served before me and the ones that are coming after me. I will take the time to hold my family close and thank god I’m here to raise my daughter in a country as amazing as the United States of America. I will hold my flag against my chest as I pray for our country and all the troops around the world. I will spend time with my family and friends and take my daughter to the rodeo were she can see bulls, horses, and all the people that truly love America.
            What does the 4th of July mean to you? What do you think of when you think about the 4th of July? What are you going to do for the 4th of July? Send me your answers and I will add them to this article. Send in your 4th of July pictures as well and even if you don’t read this until after the 4th of July you can still send in your answers and what you did and it will be posted.
            Happy 4th of July everyone!

Letters and pictures 4th of July

From Law Brother-
            My most treasured memories of Independence Day would have to be of the prelude to that evening's festivities...buying fireworks in the weeks leading up to the 4th...organizing them, shooting a few off prior to that night (you know, to make sure they were "good to go"....(-; ). I remember the most clearly my Mother, in her nurse's uniform, sitting in a lawn chair waiting for me to shoot off the display. I was 8 or 9 years of age, having a blast showing her how adept and safe I was...she always enjoyed watching all of the fireworks up until she had to leave for the hospital. I will always remember her taking the time to watch the entire batch, and my Dad, coaching from the sidelines, making sure I wouldn't blow off a limb or put out an eye!
            Speaking of my Dad, I know that to him the meaning of Independence Day had a meaning even more special...he so valued the freedoms and liberty that so many take for granted. Having fought in the mountains of Korea against communism and oppression, I know he saw something in those fireworks bursting in air that we didn't...the symbolism of what it took brave warriors, some who gave all, to accomplish so that we could live in freedom...I will always remember him sitting next to my Mother, enjoying the show. I would be remiss not to include the food that Mom prepared on the 4th! She was a wonderful cook, who painstakingly put her heart and soul into everything that came out of her kitchen. We ate like kings and queens, celebrated our liberty, and counted our blessings. The totality of what was occurring was lost on me at such a young age...in retrospect, I treasure in my heart what we were celebrating in symbolism and in tangible things.
            Lastly, I'd like to tell you something my little boy said back in 2006, on Independence Day, while spending the day with my Dad, sister, and my wife:   He was asked what his Daddy's favorite color was...without missing a beat, he replied, "My Daddy's favorite color is red, white, and blue!" I will always cherish his poignant reply...I was so proud. He knows, even at his young age, what Old Glory means, what respect and homage is due during the playing of the National Anthem, and how to fly the flag with honor and respect. I want him to pass on what was taught to me to his children...and for his children to pass it on...it's only right! Happy Independence Day!

Support America

From Josh Reed-
The 4th of July has always been a day that my family & I have celebrated in honor of my grandfather my dad & uncles. My grandfather served National Guard my dad served in the Army & one uncle was a Air Ranger and my other uncle was in Special Forces. Though my grandfather never got to go to a battle field he had friends that did and never came back home. The 4th of July (Independence Day) is a day to Celebrate our freedom. We Americans should still honor & celebrate Independence Day, because without it where would we be today.

From Lucus Moore-
4th of July is a time when all my family gets together for a bbq down at our lake home in Lake of the Ozarks, usually I will end up doing all the bbq, but that's fine as long as my uncle keeps bringing me some cold beers. Later on we will all gather around on our dock to light off fireworks and then watch the big fireworks show on the water. During this time has always been special because it is my grandparents anniversary, this year they will have been married for 60 years. This and many other reasons is why the 4th of July is probably my favorite holiday because it's when my family all gets together and spends quality time together. Be Safe and thank a Veteran!