Now this is really a rare thing. I don’t think I have ever heard of this before. I do know that deer can swim and will when they have to. I don’t know what made the deer run into the ocean but the end result was unfortunate.

By: Rick Kratzke

PACIFIC PALISADES — A young male deer who was rescued by lifeguards after running into the Pacific Ocean at Will Rogers State Beach was euthanized because of “severe injuries” suffered before the rescue.

Los Angeles County lifeguards were called to the ocean about 3 p.m. Wednesday to help rescue the deer, which ran out of the Santa Monica Mountains across Pacific Coast Highway to the ocean.

Capt. Robert Torres, a lifeguard with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said that when he arrived, the animal was about 300 yards off shore.

The deer had tried to come ashore near some rocks, but lifeguards and personnel from Los Angeles Animal Services “did our best to chase it back toward the sandy beach,” Torres said.

The deer was taken to an Animal Services facility. He was later euthanized due to severe injuries sustained prior to the ocean rescue, Cindy Wood of the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter said.

A deer going into the ocean was “a first” as far as the Animal Services official knew.

One woman who jogs along the ocean said that she thought the deer was “a strange looking whale.”

story and photo from KTLA.com:

This is the time of year that we all need to be careful as we drive around, especially on the back roads. The whitetails doe’s that were bred this past autumn will be and are giving birth to their fawns. You never know when you will come across one of these little tikes that have no clue yet of what is out there in the world and even more what a vehicle is. Just the other day I had one dart out in front of my truck with momma deer standing on the side of the road waiting for me to go by. Fortuneately I was paying attention.

I found a very interesting article about the Whitetail Fawn, so I wanted to share some of it with you and invite you to read the rest of it by visiting the Buckmasters website afterwards.

By: Rick Kratzke

Text & Photos by Tommy Kirkland

Each year throughout North America from late May and on into July, deer fawns are springing up. If undisturbed, a fawn or fawns’ birth site is instinctively chosen by its mother. At times, these birthing areas are utilized by parenting females year after year. Generally, the doe, particularly older females, seek out the best habitat available for the birthing process. The area is usually some 20 to 30 acres with water, concealment and quality nutrition.

Just prior to giving birth, the impregnated female separates herself from the other deer, including her own if she isn’t a first-time mother. If no complications arise during birth, then her maternal nature is in full swing by now.

With the condition that the female doesn’t abandon the newborn infant, then she is quick to consume the afterbirth. She will also intensely groom the little deer - removing all blood and remains from giving birth. This activity minimizes odors that can attract predators as well as insects.

Newborn whitetails rely on their instinct to remain motionless and quiet for survival. However, fawns born in food plots and working agricultural fields are more vulnerable to roaming predators in comparison to fawns born in underbrush or forested areas simply because they are easier to spot where the land is maintained for nutrition.

Read the complete article:

I just received this in one of my Google Alerts and it sure is news to me. I have heard before that when a new man comes into an organization to take over there will always be some bad blood so to speak amongst the ranks. Well, I guess for the “National Wild Turkey Federation” they are no different.

It is sad though in a way because this could damage the organization in the long run if they don’t get things ironed out. I would hate to see that happen, especially when I really just started getting involved with turkey hunting. I will try to keep an eye on this story and see how it plays out.

By: Rick Kratzke

When George Thornton was named CEO of the National Wild Turkey Federation in early June, he told one of the first media people to interview him that reaching out to young hunters and facing off with the anti-hunters would be key challenges for the organization.

As his first month in charge nears completion, Thornton, who spent most of his career in agribusiness, has discovered that his biggest challenge isn’t new recruits or old enemies; rather, it is dealing with some of the people inside the organization.

What has erupted is a tug of war over who is going to control the 35-year-old federation that claims 500,000 members. Will it be Thornton and his backers? Or will it be a half-dozen former board members and officers led by Michael Tull? Tull recently resigned from the board in protest.

What is certain is that the once premier conservation/hunting organization of North America is in for a rough ride, and there is a good chance it will lose credibility and funding, which are traits it has excelled in for years.

Read the complete story:

By: Bill Cochran - The Roanoke Times

This was just sent to me in an email and I just had to share it with you all. If this does not show a person’s love and care for this country than I don’t know what will. On top of it all it came from a teenager. I don’t have all the info about this young man but I do have a name and that name is Ray “bubba” Sorensen and here are his pictures of “The Painted Rock”.

On a personal note the war we are in right now is as usual a controversial one but let me say as a proud AMERICAN that I support our troops 100% and even though I wish them all to come home safely I do realize that they have a job to do. If you think of it we are a powerful nation and we are always being tested because of that fact so if we back down in the past or now and even in the future what will that show to everyone else. I for one enjoy the freedoms that I have and do not wish to give that up for no one.

Freedom is not free! Freedom is not given at will! Freedom has to be earned!

By: Rick Kratzke

photo’s courtesy of the Sorensen family:

I know lately I have been a little pre-occupied and it is for good reason. With summer here and work at the University being quiet because of school being out I have been busy else where. I have taken on a few side jobs that I can do in my spare time because I can not pull long shifts at work because of my health issues. These side jobs do help fill in the gaps and I can do them at my own speed.

I recently did a big job for the neighbor and that was to build a play scape that she had ordered for her little girl. It took a total of 27 hours to build this huge thing and was actually good for me to be active. Here is the finished picture of what the neighbors little girl will be enjoying as well as my son Tyler who has permission to play on at anytime.

That little side job help pay for my little side job which is a 110′ foot picket fence that I am building by hand, piece by piece. My whole yard except for one side is chain linked fence which is in good condition. The side that is not was a mixture of stockade and wire which really looked like junk. I could not keep piecing it together anymore and was worried that our dog Sampson would get out. So here is why I have been a little pre-occupied lately.

I am not quite finished yet. I want to build a railroad tie wall at least a foot and a half high where the grass meets the dirt (like a terrace) which is where I will plant flowers and/or bushes. See if I do this now then I can concentrate on preparing for deer season as it get’s closer, LOL.

I like to keep busy and actually my doctor said it would help if I tried to keep active, it would help with the arthritis.

By: Rick Kratzke

I am a familiar with this blog but the contest is new news to me. The “Whitetail365″ blog from Field and Stream website started this contest in February and some of the pictures that were sent in are well let me say something that I certainly would dream about finding myself. Here are just a couple pictures of what you can see.

By: Rick Kratzke

Andy Bautz says finding these sheds was too easy. They were right near his backyard bird feeder in Waukesha, WI.

Jeffrey Cameron watched a buck drop these antlers outside his house and ran out in his pajamas to pick them up.

Pictures are from Field & Stream’s “Whitetail 365″ blog:

This is something that we all tend to forget about and that is “Tree Stand Safety”. I personally prefer hunting from a tree stand only because I can see a lot farther and it helps to keep my scent to a minimum but, I have also realized that it can be rather dangerous if you do not follow basic rules and/or guidelines which is more common sense than anything. Here are some basic steps to follow.

By: Rick Kratzke

One of the most popular pieces of equipment used by deer hunters is a tree stand. Tree stands can be dangerous if they are used incorrectly or carelessly. Nationally, one in three hunting injuries involves a tree stand. Falls from tree stands can be caused by a variety of factors, including a weakness in the stand’s structure and incorrect installation. Hunters also may fall asleep while on their stands. Tree stands can also be a factor in other hunting accidents, including injury from accidental firing of a loaded firearm while the hunter is climbing to the stand. To help prevent these accidents, follow these safety precautions:

• Never carry equipment with you while climbing. Use a haul line to raise or lower your gear. Make sure guns are unloaded and broadheads are covered prior to raising or lowering firearms or bows with a haul line.
• Since most accidents occur when hunters are climbing up or down a tree, always use a climbing belt. Always use a safety belt or harness when hunting from elevated tree stands. Study manufacturer’s recommendations before using any equipment. Never use a rope to replace a safety belt.
• Check permanent tree stands every year before hunting from them, and replace any worn or weak lumber.
• Read, understand and follow the factory recommended practices and procedures when installing commercial stands. Inspect portable stands for loose nuts and bolts each time they are used.
• Choose only healthy, living trees when using climbing devices. Rough-barked trees such as oak are best. Do not use a tree that is rotten or has dead limbs.
• Never put all your weight on a single branch. Keep at least one hand and one foot on a secure place when reaching for the next hold.
• Climb higher than the stand and step down onto it. Climbing up onto it can dislodge it.
• Wear boots with non-skid soles, because steps or platforms can be slippery in rain, sleet or snow.
• Tell a dependable person where you’re hunting and when you plan on returning. Map your whereabouts and leave a note at camp, at home or in your car so that you can be found.
• Don’t fall asleep. This is a common cause of accidents. If you get drowsy, move your arms rapidly until you feel alert.
• Never wear a ring in any climbing situation. Rings can catch on tree limbs and equipment.
• As a precautionary measure, remove all logs, upturned and cutoff saplings, rocks and other obstructions on the ground below the tree stand.
• Use updated equipment. When used properly, newer tree stand equipment is solid, safe and secure. Older models of safety belts offer some protection, but newer safety harnesses offer more protection.
• Carry a whistle to call for help and carry a first aid kit, flashlight and cellular telephone in a fanny pack.

I knew there was another reason why I like country music when I read that Aaron Tippon was an avid outdoorsman.

By: Rick Kratzke

To call Aaron Tippin an avid outdoorsman is a bit of an understatement. The singer takes every opportunity he can to hunt just about any game — with one exception. “One day I blasted a squirrel and we ate it, and I realized I wasn’t the biggest squirrel fan, so I don’t squirrel hunt,” says Tippin, whose new album, He Believed, is a tribute to his father. “If I don’t eat it, I don’t shoot it. That’s what my dad taught me.”

“I go deer hunting and pheasant hunting, I love that,” he continues. “And I quail hunt a little bit, although here in Tennessee we don’t have as many wild birds as we used to. Wild turkey is my favorite. I love it. When I’m going to have cholesterol, that’s what I save it up for — a big ol’ plate of wild turkey. Read the rest of this entry »

This is another example of one of those memorable moments that needs to be captured so as not to forget. After all those years of not shooting the bow and then to pick it up again and bring home a new state record. That is just so awesome. This story from North American Whitetail is a must read.

By: Rick Kratzke

Last season, this avid Louisiana hunter decided to do some bowhunting for the first time in more than 30 years, and his second trip to the woods produced the state’s largest bow buck in history!

Billy Husted had given up bowhunting years earlier because of the heat and the never-ending mosquitoes, but last year he bought a new bow and headed out to the woods. He came home with this incredible 18-point megabuck, scoring 219 1/8, a new Louisiana state record.

Some of the South’s most impressive whitetails thrive in the Mississippi Delta region of Louisiana. Each year during hunting season, reports trickle in about huge trophy bucks taken in this deer-rich part of the state. Bucks with weights approaching 300 pounds and does in the 200-pound range are not uncommon. Deer in this fertile region attain heavy body weights and grow impressive headgear for one main reason: incredible nutrition.

The weather was warm with temperatures in the 80s on the afternoon of Oct. 2, 2007, when 55-year-old Billy Husted, owner of a sporting goods store in Monroe, Louisiana, decided to go bowhunting. Billy was hunting in Tensas Parish between the towns of Tallulah and Newellton.

“I’ve hunted deer most of my life with a rifle,” Billy said. “I was perfectly content to continue hunting with a rifle until my son-in-law began working on me to give bowhunting another chance. I hadn’t bowhunted for more than 30 years, mostly because of the heat and the mosquitoes that drive you absolutely crazy in the early season.”

However, Billy finally relented. In August 2007 he purchased a Hoyt bow and began practicing. By the afternoon of Oct. 2, he had only been out in the woods with his bow one time previously. Now, on that warm October afternoon on what would be his second bowhunt of the season and only his second bowhunt in some 30 years, he was about to accomplish a feat that would change whitetail history in Louisiana.

By: Glynn Harris

To read more of this story just click.

More and more I am hearing instances similiar to this. As we slowly creep into the deer’s habitat or maybe the other way around there will be instances like this. It is unavoidable and I can only hope that a deer found in this type of predicament is not injured. According to the story it was bleeding and I sincerely hope that the cuts were minor.

By: Rick Kratzke

BEAVERCREEK — The pool at the Beavercreek YMCA reopened Sunday afternoon, June 15, following an intense effort to clean up the “awful mess” left by a deer who’d made a surprising visit early Saturday evening.

The deer apparently had been spooked by something, causing him to leap through a pair of large windows adjacent to the Y’s pool area, said David Thompson, vice president for the YMCA of Greater Dayton “The momentum of the jump” probably propelled him across a five-foot-wide deck into the chlorinated water, Thompson said.

The incident occurred between 6:30 and 7 p.m., Thompson said, and the only person in the building was a member of the cleaning staff.

Responding to the sound of “a ruckus,” the employee found the frightened and bleeding animal already out of the water, running around the room and knocking into storage shelving and pool equipment.

Greene County Animal Control and Beavercreek Police eventually got the deer out a door, but it ran into a nearby wooded area.

The buck lost an antler, which was found at the bottom of the pool’s 15-foot deep end. Retrieval of the antler, as well as shards of glass that had settled on pool floor, required a team of scuba divers, Thompson said.

A cleaning crew also scrubbed down and sanitized the deck area, and vacuumed and rechlorinated the pool water.

By: Carol Simmons - Staff Writer - Dayton Daily News