Rick - First off I would like to say that I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to me and Skinny Moose Media. I would also like to say in my opinion that you and Mark produce the best video’s and television shows on the market and I for one have quite a few and look forward to adding to my library as they come out.

Terry - You are more than welcome and I thank you for the compliment.

Rick - When did you and your brother Mark start producing video’s?

Terry - We starting back in 1988 and it has just grown from there.

Rick - With all the series you have started how many hunting teams would you say you have working right now?

Terry - From North to South and East to West we have anywhere from 25 to 30 teams working at one time. We cover the whole continental U.S.

Rick - How much time would you say you spend on the road?

Terry - Between hunting, shed hunting, scouting with the wildlife eye’s, planting food plots, and doing shows I would say anywhere from 7 to 8 months out of the year I am on the road.

Rick - How does your family cope with you being gone so much?

Terry - My wife Willa has grown up with hunting and the kids are older now so they are very accustomed to it. We do spend time as much as possible. Willa and I live about an hour South of St. Louis which is where are main office is and brother Mark live in St. Louis where our distribution office is, that is where we do all our editing and shipping and receiving.

Rick - Out of all the states you have hunted in do you have a favorite?

Terry - We started hunting in Iowa which is full of sparse fields and small blocks of timber with some agricultural crops and CRP fields. So to answer your question I would have to say Iowa, that state will always hold a special place on both our hearts.

Rick - What type of weapon do you prefer to hunt with?

Terry - I would have to say Bow. It is more challenging to try and harvest a mature whitetail with a bow because they have to be so close and to try and outwit them with their keen senses can be difficult.

Rick - I know you and Mark are very busy but, how often do you get to hunt together?

Terry - Not as often as we would like. Years ago we use to hunt together all the time but as the busy grew and the demands got bigger we sort of had to split up to take care of things. We still do hunt together but not as much. Sometimes we only see each other back in camp. Sometimes we will get the chance in maybe Iowa, Missouri or Illinois.

Rick - What would you say is the biggest challenge in producing these types of video’s?

Terry - I would have to say “continuing to improve” is the hardest part. There are so many factors that go into making a video especially hunting. We have to constantly watch the weather for fronts coming in as well as high pressure systems. Watching the barometer, whether it is falling or rising and also the moon phase plays a huge part so you try to get all those factors to fall into place and keep the level of quality that everyone expects keeps us continuing to improve.

Rick - Hunting across the country like you do how would you say the deer population is?

Terry - I feel that possibly the doe’s are not being harvested as much as they should. It can be so hard on deer when there is more mouths to feed than there is food. That is why it is so important to try and manage the deer herds in your area. If hunters can practice game management and take some doe’s and let the younger buck’s grow to maturity than the deer density will only improve.

Rick - I totally agree with you. By watching your series 100% wild 100% fairchase vol.2 which is called Upper End Management I started this process last year by passing up a 2 1/2 year old 8 point and I believe I saw him this year just last week and he is now 3 1/2 years old and has 10 points, and his body mass has grown considerably.

Terry - I surely hope it pays off for you this year.

Rick - You have branched out into television with the “Dream Season” and “Wildlife Obsession” shows which Ive seen on the Outdoor Channel. Do you have anything new coming out for the future?

Terry - Actually Yes we do. Next season starting in July we will have 3 shows, the two that are showing now plus one more. I am sorry but, I am not able to tell you more about it at this time.

Rick - I understand and will surely keep an eye out for it next year.

Terry - I hope you do.

Rick - I want to thank you again for taking the time to answer a few questions and I look forward to seeing more of your productions.

Terry - You are very welcome and Good luck to you.

This Friday and Saturday August 3rd. & 4th. at the Ohio State Fair the Deerassic Classic and the Outdoor Expo will be held. It is hosted by the National Whitetail Deer Education Foundation.

Not only will you be able to see the top manufacturers and their products and demonstrations but, you will see a number of celebrities as well.  Michael Waddell of Realtree road trips will be there also Greg Miller and Stan Potts of North American Whitetail TV.

For more info please click on the link above.

Getting ready for the coming archery season can be quite the chore but, it could also be a lot of fun. Fish and Game clubs in and around your area usually hold 3-D shoots which can be an excellant way to practice. They can also be purchased for personal use by going to your local hunting and fishing stores or can be purchased online.

The targets that are used are three dimensional and life size which come in different positions and are light and very easy to move around.

 

I have been to a few 3-D shoots in the past and I found that they help in many different ways. The most important I think is being able to judge distance, that was always the hardest thing for me to get use to but by using these types of targets and going to these shoots I was able to get better at it.

They come life size which also helps in getting use to shooting/aiming at the vital area. I know the full size McKenzie Target that I had was a huge help. It came with a replaceable vital area and the area in particular was marked where the heart, lungs, liver was so you knew where exactly to aim.

So whether you are bowhunting for Turkey, Deer, Coyote, Bear, Elk, Antelope there is a target for you. There are a lot of different brands to choose from and different prices that will fit anyones finances.

I used to hang a stand at the height that I preferred and would place the target at different distance and at different angles. I also would put it in brush, behind small saplings, down low in drainage ditches and elevated spots like ridge tops just to get use to shooting in different scenerios.

That is how versatile these types of targets are. They are well worth the money you spend for them. Even if you can’t afford one at the time you could still go to some of these 3-D shoots. They are always around if you look for them, especially in the summertime. I know when I use to go it was a lot of fun and I met a lot of people. It was also a good way to pick up all sorts of tips and techniques that you did not know about.

I personally prefer McKenzie Targets but, here are a few others brands that you could choose from. Delta Targets , Rinehart Targets, Longhorn Targets.

Here is a link to an article about the over whelming expansion of the Deer Tick population expanding.

I also want to direct you to a earlier post I did on Deer Ticks and Lyme Disease. You will find it in my Deer Education Category.

Here it is the end of July and I am already getting excited about the upcoming season. Even though I am obsessed about whitetail deer and hunting I normally keep things in perspective and go about my daily business of family, work,  and scouting.  I have been seeing so many deer this year just going back and forth from work that I am wishing it was November already.  The mild winter we had I’m sure has something to do with what seems like a growing deer herd in my area,  so between that and my five day hunt this year in Maine that I will be taking the week after Thanksgiving I can only say one thing and that is ” Lock & Load ” I am ready to go.

There is something about hunting Whitetails that just keeps my heart pumping like it did my first time out which I remember like it was yesterday even though it was actually seventeen years ago. I was sitting in my tree stand my first year and it was maybe my second or third day out in the deer woods. I had placed it on the edge of a thicket and I was sitting there watching a couple of squirrels chase each other up and down a oak tree and I thought, hey this is pretty cool when all of a sudden I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head just in time to see two very large deer run past my stand about twenty yards away and they were running so fast that I almost missed them. The thing that amazed me the most and what got me hooked I think was when they ran past at what seemed like a hundred miles an hour was that they never made a sound.

That was so long ago but as I said I remember it like it was yesterday. Since then I have learned so much about the whitetail and come to realize that I have found myself being more than hooked on hunting. I spend every chance I get either reading about them or watching them or photographing them as well as scouting for their hang outs and travel corridors. I am constantly scanning the woods for them while I am driving ( which my wife is always yelling at me to keep my eyes on the road ).

I usually start out the year by shed hunting my favorite areas. There is nothing better than a slow casual walk in the deer woods at the end of winter looking for those magnificent pieces of bone we call antlers. I started collecting antlers I think my second year out and I remember the first one I found. I was actually out still hunting with my bow and I was walking through what is now my favorite place to hunt ” a swamp ” and I happen to catch something on my pants and I looked down figuring it was a stick and come to find out it was an antler with four points, I still have it to this day. I have quite the collection going and probably will add to it for as long as the good lord will let me go look for them.

I gradually progressed from bowhunting into gun hunting and I have to say that I prefer to gun hunt. Don’t get me wrong I used to enjoy hunting with the bow because it was challenging and it was a good way to gain experience. I am older now and what I enjoy the most when I am out deer hunting is comfortably sitting with the chill of the autumn air nipping at my cheeks, the sound of a flock of geese flying overhead with the hustle and bustle of squirrels and chipmunks running around looking for nuts to store away for the winter. The stillness of autumn is another thing that really makes me feel at peace when I am out there. Some days when it is quiet and there is not much happening or moving around it is a good time to reflect on things and let me tell you one thing, I am happy to be in the deer woods and just see them and watch them and if I am lucky to fill a tag than I just consider that a bonus.

I like to sit at home on those real nasty days and read hunting magazines and watch the occasional hunting video or dvd. Thanks to modern technology and computers I can surf the net looking for anything and everything to do with whitetail deer and hunting, which leads me to this blog. Now I can write about whitetail deer hunting and share what I know and what I learn. There is always something to learn about whitetails, they are the best at adapting and they are constantly changing so you need to keep learning so you can be successful. I am no expert by any means, I just enjoy what nature has provided.

I pray that I will be able to do what has become my obsession for a long time to come and that is to be out in the autumn air watching and hunting America’s number one big game animal the Whitetail Deer. I have a five year old son who I hope will be hunting with me some day if he chooses to do so. I will at the very least teach him to ” respect the environment and the wildlife ” for if we don’t I fear it will not be here for our childrens children.

So remember, when you are sitting in the deer woods this autumn in the cold crisp air just close your eyes for a minute and smell the air and listen to the wildlife because it don’t get much better than that.

Check out the article about David Coleman’s South Texas Hunt that ended with a Whitetail Buck that scores 227 7/8 B & C

It is just about that time for us to put our tree stands out for archery season. What I always like to do and what everyone should get in the habit of doing is inspecting your stans before heading out to the deer woods.

I will usually check all the bolts, screws and seating to make sure there is nor cracks, breaks or tearing. I will check all bushings whether they are plastic or metal to make sure there is not squeaks. There is nothing worse than trying to manuever  in your stand when there is a deer near by and have it squeak.

What I will do is use some type of graphite or a 3-1 household oil to lubricate and movable parts. Do not use for example WD-40, it is to smelly and does not last that long. Don’t forget that if you have any type of fabric seating material it will also need to be inspected, especially if you leave it out in the elements for long periods of time.

I had the honor of attending my first annual banquet for the Northeast Big Buck Club this past weekend on Saturday July 21, 2007. Let me just start by saying I had a great time and am looking forward to next years banquet.

This years banquet was held at the Castle of Knights Banquet Facility in Chicopee, Massachusetts. It was a long banquet which started at 1:30 in the afternoon and did not end till 8:30 at night but, it was well worth it. I saw so many nice deer mounts on display that I thought I was in deer hunter’s heaven. here is just a couple pictures to show the caliber of deer that the club was recognizing for awards,

The event started out with door prize giveaways which where given out throughout the night. Then there was time for everyone to walk around a view some of the nicest deer mounts in the northeast and parts of Canada, even some form the mid west.

They also had a computer generated slide show with two very large screens positioned around the banquet hall that allowed everyone to see because when it was time to hand out the awards the screens turned into video screens so you could actually view the hunter getting his award. With each award given out there was a brief live audio story of the hunt which gave people a picture in their mind of what the hunt was like.

After the dinner they held auctions for all kinds of hunts. Some of the hunts that were auctioned off were for instance a Caribou hunt in Quebec, a hunt in New Zealand, a Boar hunt in New York. They also had numerous deer hunts auctioned of for New Brunswick, North Carolina, Illinois. Last but not least they auctioned off Bear hunts in New Brunswick, Maine, Newfoundland.

They had a lot of raffles for almost anything you could think of, anything from deer scent to gift certificates to a brand new muzzleloader. Unfortunately I did not win anything so I will have to try again next year.

You could also purchase hats and a very nice turtle neck shirt, the newest release of the club record book. They even had a raffle table specifically for the women which had a lot of nice goodies on it. My wife was suppose to attend the festivities with me but circumstances arose and was unable to attend but, I will get her there next year.

I want to commend Mr. Jeff Brown, President and Co-Founder of the Northeast Big Buck Club for creating such an organization that not only gives credit to the hunter but also gives credit to the deer. Where else can you join a all volunteer and not-for-profit club and get some much support to preserve deer hunting through conservation, education, and safety.

I also want to commend Mr. Paul Chapdelaine, VP/Awards Chairman of the Northeast Big Buck Club. The whole banquet was a very large event to put on and he did a very nice job. It takes a very dedicated person to organize such an event. I also want to thank him for taking the time to give me an interview, even on a Sunday.

Last but not least I want to commend all the volunteers that I saw running around the banquet hall that day. Without them and their support the banquet could not have happened like it did.

I have been hunting the Whitetail Deer for 17 years now so it has become a way of life for me or like my wife tends to say my obsession in life. This club is very important and should be supported in it’s efforts to keep our deer hunting traditions going so if you are not a member please consider joining.

I have been a member of the Northeast Big Buck Club since February of 2007. I just want to say that for a club that is an all volunteer and not-for-profit organization that they sure seem to have the heart beat of the deer hunting enthusiasts in the northeast. I was able to see this first hand when I attended my first Annual Awards Banquet of the NBBC this year. I will be posting an article about that in the near future so be sure you come back to visit but, for now I would like to share an interview I was honored to have with the VP/Awards Chairman of the Northeast Big Buck Club Mr. Paul Chapdelaine.

Rick - First I want to say thank you for taking time out of your Sunday to answer a few questions and I also wanted to say that the club put on a very nice awards banquet, everyone put a lot of time and hard work into it and it showed. I had a wonderful time and I appreciate you taking the time to have this picture taken with me.

Paul - You are very welcome and I’m glad you were able to come and enjoy what has become our most favorite event of the year.

Rick - I would like to start by asking you how long you have been with the NBBC?

Paul - Well, It was back in 1998 when I attended a sportsmen show and came across a booth that the NBBC had and I watched them as they were scoring antlers. I thought that was really interesting and as I thought about it I thought I would join. I have been an avid hunter for years.

Rick - Did you join the club as a VP/Awards Chairman?

Paul - No, I joined as a regular member and shortly after that I was trained and certified as a qualified scorer. I spent the next couple of years going to shows and events helping to score some of the most amazing racks I have ever seen.

Rick - How did you become the VP/Awards Chairman?

Paul - It was around 2000 I had arranged to have a game dinner and I invited some of the new friends that I had made when I joined the NBBC. It was a great time and dinner all around. That is when I was approached by the club officers and said this is something that the club needs and that is someone who can get events such as this scheduled and running. They offered me the position. I did not have a lot of experience in what I was about to take on but, I gave it a try. I spent a lot of time going to events such as these and mostly learned what not to do. The more you try the more you learn.

Rick - What do you feel is the best part of your job?

Paul - I would have to say the best part of my job is the people I meet and hearing their stories about their successful hunts and the unsuccessful ones. Being the Awards Chairman keeps me very busy but I still like to get my hands on a nice buck’s rack so I am still a scorer.

Rick - What type of hunting do you like to do?

Paul - I started out gun hunting and I still do but, I really don’t like the noise part of it. I would say 95% of the time you will find a bow in my hand. That has got to be the most exciting type of hunting. I like the challenge of bow hunting. I tend you hit what I am aiming at better with a bow than with a gun. It tends to rattle me when I am sitting out there and all of a sudden on the next ridge someone fires off a gun and the next thing you know you have jump off your seat. I like the quiet when nobody knows your there, even the deer. I have shot at deer with a bow before and missed but, being so quiet they were not spooked and came back where I was able to get a second shot. If that was a gun and I missed than everything in the neighbor hood would disappear.

Rick - Do you have a favorite place to hunt?

Paul - I have a bow hunting only area up in New York that I like to go to. I also enjoy going to the mid west. I didn’t like the mid west at first being so open and flat but I got used to it. I figured using deer decoys works very well out there, it helps take the attention off of you and puts it on the decoy. That with a little grunting and a little rattling and you can generally get them to come right in.

Rick - You really like to use decoys?

Paul - I very much recommend them. They are another tool you can use to attract those educated bucks to come in closer when you ordinarily would not be able to. I have even been known to do seminars from time to time on bow hunting and the use of decoys.

Rick - What states does the NBBC actually cover?

Paul - When the NBBC started out they covered Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Now we cover New York and all of New England. We would like to branch out and next year we hope to set up in Pennsylvania.

Rick - I wanted to ask you this and it is probably a stupid question but why does the NBBC measure Whitetails only?

Paul - Basically that is a simple question, There is only Whitetails in the northeast. Some of us can measure like say Moose and others but we tend to stick with just Whitetails.

Rick - Do you feel deer hunting in general in the northeast is stable, declining or expanding?

Paul - I feel that deer hunting as far as the quantity of deer is expanding due to the fact that people are slowly thinking more of antlers than freezer so they are letting a lot walk, that and the numbers of hunters are declining. That is why we are trying to preserve our hunting tradition and trying to keep people interested and more involved more. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing better than putting meat in the freezer but hunter today are also interested in letting the smaller ones go so they have time to grow and reach to their potential.

Rick - How long is the training process for someone who is interested in becoming a certified scorer for the NBBC?

Paul - Typically these types of classes can be like four days long but being we only measure whitetails that we hold one day classes which can be intense and last about eight hors long. We try to keep the size of the class to twenty or less.

Rick - How many classes do you have?

Paul - We try to hold two classes a year and we move the classes around so as to be assessable to everyone. The last class we had was in Rhode Island and the next class which is in August will be held in Pennsylvania.

Rick - What else can you tell us about becoming a scorer?

Paul - New scorers will learn both the Boone & Crockett and the Pope & Young scoring methods but, we only use the B & C standard. When you become a scorer we usually start you out by helping at shows and events. We do require that you score so many racks a year to keep your certification up to date but, we also realize that everyone does have a life and other responsibilities so we try not to be to demanding.

Rick - Well Paul I just want to say you are very knowledgeable and care very much for what you do and I want to say thanks again for your time.

Paul - We at the NBBC care about the preservation of our hunting traditions for us and generations to come. We also care a lot about the scoring part of our club that is why we recognize the gross score and not the net score. We feel that the Whitetail Buck deserves full credit for everything he grew without deductions to his rack.

Earlier this year I joined the Putnam Fish and Game Club.

 

I never really gave it much thought before but, it was getting harder to find places to shoot legally unless you own a lot of land. So I decided to join, I really like to shoot and with this years hunt to Maine coming I figured it would be a good idea.

The club was established in 1939  and the club house sits on 47 acres. It has a furnished game room complete with pool table and a television area where you can sit and relax, it is also open 24 hours a day to members. Adjacent to that there is a spacious meeting room where they hold their monthly meeting on the 2nd. Tuesday of every month. Upstairs there is a very large hall that members can rent for for family gatherings or whatever at a small fee and they can also rent the adjoining kitchen.

Outside there is an outdoor gun range that is stetup to shoot 25 yards, 50 yards and 100 yards. They have a newly built indoor range where you can shoot handguns out to 25 yards and on the other side you can shoot rifles out to 50 yards. They also have archery targets, horse shoe pits, bbq area and a boat launch w/boats for members to use.

There is pheasant stocking and trout stocking and they like to hold turkey shoots and on opening day if fishing season they hold a fisherman’s breakfast. They also hod a game dinner usually in January each year.

Here our just a few pictures of what the club offers,

Club House

    

 

Indoor Range,

 

Outdoor Range,