“antler”

Before you pull the trigger or release an arrow, do you know how to field judge a whitetail deer’s antlers? Those who hunt simply to fill the freezer, this is not really an issue. But for those who are hoping to shoot a buck with antlers that meet or exceed a certain numeric score, more often than not, overestimate the size of the antlers, leading to that common malady known as “ground shrinkage.”

Never hunted with an AR-15 rifle? Try it, you’ll like it. The author did.

Do spike bucks have inferior genetics? Will culling them improve the quality of your deer population? Should you shoot spikes? The buck stops here.

Deer populations are down by about 2.8 million since 2008. Some biologists are alarmed by this, while others believe it’s natural and healthy for the overall herd.

During this year’s whitetail rut, perhaps you observed a buck fight. While most “fights” are just pushing and shoving matches often involving young bucks that don’t even know they are bucks yet, others are very aggressive encounters.

Ever wondered what it's like to be a hunting guide? Rachel Ahtila, a guide from British Columbia, talks about guiding, guns and her hunting aspirations.