Category Archives: General Tales

September 13, 2011

Blue Tongue (or EHD) Leaving a Dark Cloud Over Future of Montana Whitetails

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It started with a simple Tweet. Outdoor icon Michael Waddell shot the following to his nearly 20,000 Twitter followers on Sept. 1:

“Headed to MT soon. Bad news EHD hit the river and supposedly killed alot of the deer. I will have a report soon.”

Image shared by Michael Waddell, of a whitetail suspected of being driven to a brutal death by EHD


The “report” he promised wasn’t good. Turns out it continues to get worse in Montana. Call it blue tongue, call it EHD, it doesn’t matter what you call it – its outcome is devastating.

Blue tongue, or epizootic hemorrhagic disease, appears to be the culprit. And the aftermath of it, once complete, appear to be headed toward near disaster for the whitetail deer herd in many areas of the state.

Waddell reported, via Twitter, seeing only “10 to 18 deer where we typically see 100.” That report, coupled with many outfitters accounts along the famous Milk River have numbers pegged at between 80-90 percent decimation. That’s extremely sad for a state that has been quickly becoming a favorite destination for whitetail enthusiasts.

That also puts numbers where there probably should be little hunter harvest for the next several years to allow for rebound. It will take plenty of time, based on what I’m reading.

For those wondering, here is what I’ve learned about EHD:

First Blue Tongue and EHD, by definition, are different. Blue Tongue is really the sister disease that affects livestock. Regardless, in it’s most slang sense, hunters know what it means.

It’s a contagious virus affecting deer and is spread by gnats. It is most found near waterways and standing water encourages its spread. While most biologists recommend you discard the carcass of a dead animal found with questionable symptoms, there are no known spreads of the disease to humans.

You’ll likely be seeing more about the actual outbreak in Montana in the coming months (I’m sure whitetail magazines are gearing up coverage), however the true impact of its destruction will surely be felt by hunters in that region for many, many years to come.

That’s tough – especially for someone who has long dreamed about glassing those endless prairies for a Milk River whitetail to put a strategy to. I wish the herd, and the hunters impacted, the best.

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in 2011, General Tales

September 3, 2011

Preparation Leads to Success (I hope!)

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It’s been a few weeks since I’ve updated the blog. Things have been busy around these parts! I assure you updates will become much more frequent as the 2011 season truly kicks off in my book next weekend. The North Carolina archery opener is Sept. 10.

I’m especially excited about the North Carolina season for a few reasons.

One of the plots being prepped on our lease

First, four friends and I have acquired a new 270-acre lease that is a couple years of tender, love and care from being pretty sporty. We’re not anticipating a lot, with respect to big bucks, this year. That said, there are several young deer that seem to be finding their way on the property regularly. While we gained control to the land a little late in the summer, we did get after it quick enough to get four food plots planted and do enough scouting to find several “deery” spots on the grounds. It seems like the land gets a little better every time we walk more ground.

Best of all, we’re all good hunting buddies who are looking for the same things out of the land (more than just a place to kill a deer).

With our second child due late this year, I expect to hunt more in the state of North Carolina this year than I have in year’s passed. Although I have no midwest deer hunting trips planned for the first time in several years, my hunting buddy Kenny and I will be making the pilgrimage to my family’s farm in Western New York. I’m looking forward to that trip. I’ve not hunted our farm since 2009, and never anticipated going a hunting season without setting foot in the woods I hold so dear to my heart. Here’s hoping it doesn’t again.

In just one month, I’ll be joining another hunting buddy, Richard as he takes his young son on his first out-of-state duck hunt to North Dakota. This will be my second trip to the great waterfowl state, but we’re hoping to make this trip all about Nate. We’re planning to be armed with more cameras than guns and document much of the trip for a few AHuntersTales.com episodes.

My hunting gear is ready to roll. I’ve spent a lot of the summer retooling both of my bows for the season. With new strings and a few other accoutrements, both have been sighted in, and are shooting broadheads really well. There is only one new set of camo in the locker (already have too many!).

The final bit of tune up came to my hearing! For the first time in a number of years, I’m hoping to take to the field this year (at some point this season) being able to hear well out of my right ear. I had my eardrum replaced and the ossicles bones better aligned yesterday and the surgeon reported after surgery that he’d be surprised if I didn’t have better hearing than before I had it. Be great to have my senses in better working order – I’m sick of the deer having such an advantage over me!

Let’s roll – it’s time to get hunting!

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August 11, 2011

Motivation on the Stand

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David Hinceman was looking for a little “pick me up” when he was sitting in his stand last November. We’ve all been there – that lull in activity when you start wondering if that day just might not be the day. Then something happens that gives you a boost of optimism. Your senses are on full alert and you think any moment could be the right one for Joe Nailer to come by your stand.

I’m happy to report that a text message with my 2010 Illinois deer (read all about it here) helped be that inspiration for Hinceman, the host of Pass’n It On Outdoors, last year. And it worked as shortly thereafter, David was able to close the deal on a giant Illinois deer of his own.

David was hunting a couple counties south of where I was hunting with Riverview Outfitters.

The energy-boosting moment, and David’s success, were captured in episode No. 3 of Pass’n It On Outdoors. You can watch it in its entirety below! David’s hunt starts around the 11:00 mark.

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July 24, 2011

Summer Bachelor Parties

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“Scotty” was my first vehicle. A 1978, the pickup was in remarkable shape in the early 1990s when I started driving it. My grandfather had purchased the truck new and it sat many years after he passed away. It was a Scottsdale model and picked up the nickname from my baseball teammate Lenny Green, who rode with me most days from school to the ballpark.

Scotty was a part of many teenage memories, including carrying one of my first archery bucks

As you might imagine, I have enough memories with Scotty to fill an armored truck. Summer nights were some of the best. We spent most evenings during the hot Western New York months looking for whitetail bucks throughout Allegany County. I loved it.

While the passengers along for the ride varied, Scotty and I were the mainstays. Some nights it was Ward Craft with us, cousins Tom and Jeff made appearances, both of my brothers Doug and Mike came along from time to time, or other nights it was just my girlfriend and I burning gallons of gas looking for big bucks.

Searching for these bucks had nothing to do with early-season scouting. I very rarely hunted anywhere other than our family land – never needed a reason to. That didn’t stop me from knowing many of the giant bucks that roamed throughout the area. Finding bucks during the summer was almost like having another hunting season.

Most evenings, my parents’ old-school video camera was in tow to document deer sighting via shaky hand-held footage. I ran across a VHS recently with a compilation of highlights from one summer in 1994. There were several great bucks that summer, but even more fantastic memories. None remain stronger in my memory than the night I videoed four mature bucks feeding together only 85 or 90 yards from the road on the Knapp Farm. One was a great buck, pushing 140″ as a 10 pointer.

Gas prices make it much more difficult to hop in the car and go for a long drive to check out deer. Ironically, it’s one of the reasons my family chooses to live in Rowan County, N.C., instead of closer to Charlotte. We love the agriculture-rich terrain it affords us to be away from the city.

I’m going to make it a point to go “hunt for deer” more this summer. I know my 3-year old would love to join too. Poor girl, she is sure to get sick of the old stories from yesteryear while we’re riding around. Here’s hoping she won’t get sick of hearing about Scotty though!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in 2011, General Tales, Uncategorized