MikeHanback.com

BIG DEER Blogger Tips

I read all your comments and I know one thing--we have a group of skilled and hard-core deer hunters on this blog. The more we post and read and discuss and fuss, the more we learn, the better we hunt and the more big deer we kill. Some recent comments I liked:

On tree stands:

“I stay with a climbing stand (Summit Viper). In the small woodlots I hunt here in Michigan, often near the city, the climber helps to get me in and out quick. I don’t want the non-hunters in the area to know I'm there. I’ve done best not leaving any sign behind and have my scouting done way before the season. It also leaves me flexible according to the wind.”—Doug, MI Whitetail Nut

"I don't trust ratchet straps, squirrels are prone to chew through them. A hunter fell in GA a few years ago from a partially chewed strap. I always use a chain and turnbuckle around the tree and then add a ratchet strap to keep it all snug. I also look the strap over before I put my weight in the stand."—Brad in AL

On muzzle-loader bullets:

"I recommend the Barnes MZ Expander. This bullet is devastating on deer. I have only had to track one deer (of 18 deer shot). The rest I have watched fall, and that is a tall order in thick-wooded areas in NJ. She isn't a pretty bullet (big hollow point), but damn it flies great."--Silverback

On hunting small spots:

"I had a spot on public land that was not more than one acre. It was a clump of trees along an irrigation ditch out in the middle of a 300-acre cornfield. My hunting buddies all hit the swamp woods while I gingerly took my climber and headed for the tree clump. Long story short, after two sittings I arrowed a nice 130" 10 point."—Eric

BTW, what do you think of the new BIG DEER logo at the top of the post? No drop-tine because I haven't got one of those yet :) The rack is a sketch of my 182" Saskatchewan giant.

Guest Blog: Why Do You Hunt?

Mike: Why do you and the fellow bloggers hunt, especially whitetails? Here's why I do:
   
Dad and our uncle introduced my brother, Mike, and me to hunting at an early age, about 4 or 5 years old. Started out with rabbits and squirrels, then pheasants and quail and as the years went by turkeys and deer.

It kept my brother and me out of trouble, lol. Our parents made the decision to raise a family on a farm instead of in a town. So in 1969 they rented a farm and lived there for 30 years. Hunting, fishing and the outdoors were a huge part of our lives and a big influence.

Hunting allowed us to spend quality time with family and friends. It still has a large chapter in the book of life as we live it today. I want to take the traditions and knowledge that my father and uncle passed down to us and pass them on to my daughter and 3 nephews.

We live in a great country named America. It may not be perfect, but it is beautiful and I'm proud to call it home. I'll be damned if I'm going to pass up the opportunity to bear arms, shoot and hunt. The way I look at it, if I didn't, I would be letting down our troops that fight for our freedom day in and day out. They don't let us down and I sure as hell am not going to let them down. So please everyone support our troops and participate in the freedoms they are fighting for.

I like challenges and I don't know anything more challenging than hunting mature whitetails. Gets my adrenaline pumping just talking about it, how about you? Thanks, Cliff

Why are Hunters Chicken to Ask Permission?

Awhile back Eli from IN wrote that he had just landed a new spot: “only 25 acres, but smack dab where we have been seeing some of the bigger deer taken in the state.” The old lady that owns the property bought some Delta faucets from Eli’s father-in-law. Eli rode along to deliver the faucets and, being a buck hunter, he liked the look of the long drive surrounded by woods.

“I just flat out asked her if she ever let anyone hunt,” Eli said. She said, “Well no, no one has ever asked me, so sure.” She went on to say how many deer she sees all the time.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Eli whacks one of those IN giants on the 25 this fall. I hope he does. He asked! Why are so many of us chicken to do it? Fear of rejection? Insecurity? Bashful? Stupidity? Combination thereof? One reason a lot of you don’t have as many places to hunt anymore is because you just won’t knock on doors and ask, isn't that right?

Tomorrow: Eli asked for some tactics for hunting his new honeyhole, I’ll blog what I told him.

Meet the BIG DEER Bloggers

Montana rancher, archery-hunting guide, shed-hunting fool, father of 2 (soon to be 3 in January from what I hear) and my buddy helped me get a good Milk River Buck last November, then he went out and shot this one. A lot of you saw Luke’s picture in a post last week and wanted to know more about his tackle. Luke says:

Longbow is a Robertson Stykbow Mystical , 64" long and 64#. A Roy Jones quiver is attached to the bow. I shot that buck with a Maple arrow and a vintage Bear Razorhead with insert, total arrow weight over 700 grains.  I feel comfortable out to 30 yards, but will rarely take a shot on an animal over 20. That buck was at 20 when I shot him.

Rodger from Texas shot this fine 10-pointer in Nov. 2006. We lost contact for a while when I changed blogs, but Rodger is back and I’m glad of it. I have always enjoyed and respected his opinions. About that buck he says:

He was 160 yards away. I've killed 3 bucks in exactly the same spot 3 years in a row. I was using my Winchester Model 70 with .25 WSS Mags.

Always fun to put a picture with the blogger, send me yours.

Meet the Bloggers

Hey Mike: Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your blog. Thought I might share a pic of my deer from the previous bow season. It was pretty tough here in Southern IL due to the gnat disease. I managed to whack this buck on Jan. 3. Very cold! Wind chill was near zero.  Not a high-scoring rack (broken brow made it a 7-pointer, not bad mass and a 21” spread though). After a long hard season I was pretty happy! Keep up the good work! NECBONE

Mike: I have hunted whitetail all my life and I love it. I was fortunate to meet a friend at a hunting camp from Colorado. He got me involved in a few other hunts, and I have done pretty well. He says I must have a horseshoe stuck up my rear. This whitetail is from Kansas 158". I also got a bull elk from CO that scored 312 7/8" on my first afternoon ever hunting elk. The second year I hunted antelope I got an 82 5/8" buck. This was the worst, sitting in a 5x5 ground blind all day for a week in 100-degree heat. At 6’1” and 250 I’m too big to be in such a small box! All with the bow. I am very, very fortunate. Thanks, Silverback

NECBONE, to heck with the broken brow, that’s a great deer for hunting so hard all season, way to go man. SILVERBACK, I agree, you do have a horseshoe :)

It is always a pleasure to put the face with the blogger, send me a photo/story anytime.

Big Daddy Hunts Africa

Hey Mike: Hunting whitetails is my first love but you can't hunt them year-round. So during the northern hemisphere's summer I go to Africa. Here's a picture of a cape buffalo I killed in July 2007 while hunting in Tanzania's Selous Reserve. The bull had a spread of 42" and weighed over 2000 pounds. One shot from my .458WM between the eyes from 20 yards put him on the ground. Big Daddy

Thanks, BD. It is always great to put the face with the name of the blogger. To all the rest, send me a picture of you with a buck, shooting a bow, holding a shed, whatever. So long as it's legal and rated PG-13 I'll post it. BTW, later this summer we'll have a forum feature where it will be easy to post your photos and stories, stay tuned and thanks for your support.

College Hunter: Hybrid & a Venison Diet

“I was fortunate to get a hybrid for my 16th birthday, I get close to 60 mpg. In the summer when I first got it my friends made fun of me, look who’s laughing now, LOL. Ramens, instant mac and cheese, and venision the diet of a college hunter.” --Ian in WI on "Pain at the Pump"