If learning how to read deer sign more effectively, understanding the nuances of following a big-buck track, or honing your stalking and general deer-hunting skills are important to you, then this book will become a treasured reference in your deer-hunting library.
Deer Stalking and Management is a wide-ranging book written in a practical style. It encapsulates the often solitary experiences of the stalker who has only the wildlife for company and considers a world that many people do not know about, do not understand and which many find alien. The author is deeply involved in deer management and stalking and is passionately concerned about the welfare of these beautiful animals. His objective is to both educate and inform. In this book, he summarizes the natural history and characteristics of all the species of deer found in the United Kingdom, assesses the environmental impact of deer, describes the type of damage they do and how it can be identified; explains why deer management is essential, not just for commercial reasons, but also for the welfare of the animals themselves and discusses the organizations associated with deer management and the associated training courses and qualifications that are available. He analyses the rifles and cartridges that can be used by the deer stalker as well as rifle maintenance, ballistics, sights, sound moderators, clothing and ancillary equipment. Careful consideration is given to all aspects of deer management, stalking methods, and taking and placing the shot correctly. He also explains how the carcass should be handled and describes gralloching, skinning and jointing, and deer diseases and injuries and accidents to deer caused by road traffic accidents and wire fencing. With an overview of firearms law in England, Wales and Scotland as it relates to deer, this is a comprehensive guide written in a practical and no-nonsense style. Aimed at all those interested in field sports, country pursuits and especially those interested in deer, deer management and stalking and fully illustrated with 149 colour photographs and 14 diagrams.
With deer hunting advice from a wide variety of experts, including Leonard Lee Rue, John Weiss, Peter Fiduccia, Kathy Etling, Monte Burch, and Hal Blood, The Ultimate Guide to Deer Hunting Skills, Tactics and Techniques starts from the ground up, giving you a greater insight into the senses and habits of deer in order to better understand how to successfully hunt them. With chapters on anatomy, glands, hearing and eyesight, as well as behavior before, during and after the rut, this Ultimate Guide teaches beginners and experts alike how to hunt her any conditions, with bow, rifle, muzzle loader, and shotgun. Specific tactics such as stand hunting, still hunting, stalking, putting on drives, rattling, and using decoys are all covered. There is no better collection of deer hunting knowledge out there that features such a wide range of topics, tips, and tactics than this comprehensive compendium. Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for hunters and firearms enthusiasts. We publish books about shotguns, rifles, handguns, target shooting, gun collecting, self-defense, archery, ammunition, knives, gunsmithing, gun repair, and wilderness survival. We publish books on deer hunting, big game hunting, small game hunting, wing shooting, turkey hunting, deer stands, duck blinds, bowhunting, wing shooting, hunting dogs, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Deer stalking entails much more than walking the countryside with a rifle; there is a great deal to be considered prior to lacing boots and donning a green fleece. It is often said that the real work starts after the trigger has been squeezed. This book looks at all aspects of the pursuit, with clear explanations accompanied by advice, images and anecdotes. In addition, there is a unique reference chapter of all potential conditions a deer may suffer from, with full descriptions and images, and advice on suitability for entering the food chain. Specific coverage includes: laws, leases and making a start obtaining an FAC: the necessary equipment in this technological age; deer species, with identifying images; deer senses and how they shape our approach to them; shot placement and maximum shooting distances; the importance of bullet design and its effect on the carcass; stalking activities by month through the year; after the stalk - sticking, initial evisceration, inspection and recovery; at the larder - hygiene, and who needs to register as a food business and finally, inspecting the carcass, with a library of images showing conditions.
A dedicated deer hunter “writes with humor and insight” about his adventures—and misadventures—in the wild (Orlando Sentinel). Every autumn, millions of men and women across the country don their camo, stock up on doe urine, and undertake a quintessential American tradition—deer hunting. The pinnacle of a hunter’s quest is killing a buck with antlers that “score” highly enough to qualify for the Boone and Crockett record book. But in all his seasons on the trail, Pete Bodo, an avid outdoorsman and student of the hunt, had never reached that milestone. Sadly, he had to admit it: He was a nimrod. Whitetail Nation is the uproarious story of the season Pete Bodo set out to kill the big buck. From the rolling hills of upstate New York to the vast and unforgiving land of the Big Sky to the Texas ranches that feature high fences, deer feeders, and money-back guarantees, Bodo traverses deep into the heart of a lively, growing subculture that draws powerfully on durable American values: the love of the frontier, the importance of self-reliance, the camaraderie of men in adventure, the quest for sustained youth, and yes, the capitalist’s right to amass every high tech hunting gadget this industry’s exploding commerce has to offer. Gradually, Bodo closes in on his target—that elusive monster buck—and with each day spent perched in a deer stand or crawling stealthily in high grass (praying the rattlesnakes are gone), or shivering through the night in a drafty cabin (flannel, polar fleece, and whiskey be damned), readers are treated to an unforgettable tour through a landscape that ranges from the exalted to the absurd. Along the way Bodo deftly captures the spirit and passion of this rich American pursuit, tracing its history back to the days of Lewis and Clark and examining that age old question: “Why do men hunt?”
This fascinating book of Scottish field sports was first published in London 1889 and is now extremely scarce in the first edition. We are now republishing it from the original text and illustration. The author, although an expert and experienced shooting man and salmon angler, did not write this book with any intention of teaching his readers "How to Sport.". Rather, its 406 pages are devoted to a comprehensive chronicle of the facts and figures, sporting records and natural history relating to the field sports of that period. Twenty four detailed chapters include: - Scotland's Most Famous Out of Door Sports. - Scotland's Deer and Grouse Grounds. - Deer. Natural History and Stalking. - Hare Coursing. - Rabbits for Sport and Food. - The Grouse Family. - Natural Economy of a Grouse Moor. - Pheasants and Partridges. - Other Birds of Sport. - Poaching. - Gamekeepers. - Supply and Value of Game. - Game in Larder, Kitchen, and Dining Room. - Salmonia. Natural History and Fishing. - Troutiana. - Trout and Sport in the Borders. - Vermin of the Moors and Manors. - The Fox and Foxhunting. - Golf. - Curling. - Patrons and Parasites of Sport. Etc. This unusual and eminently readable book can be thoroughly recommended for inclusion in the library of all true country sportsmen. Many of the earliest sporting books, particularly those dating back to the 1800s, are now extremely scarce and very expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
The Red Deer is one of the largest deer species and can be found across most of Europe, and in other parts of the world too. The meat of a red deer, venison, is widely used as a food source to the extent that red deer farming now exists. In Scotland, there is a healthy red deer population. Figures vary, but there are estimated to be between 500,000 - 750,000 red deer in Scotland. Although red deer traditionally lived in forests, they have adapted their habitat and behaviour in Scotland as the forests declined. They are now found mostly in glens and on mountains across the Highlands, Islands and Lowlands of Scotland. This vintage book contains accounts of the authors' experiences hunting for deer in the Scottish Highlands, making it highly recommended for those with an interest in historical Scottish hunting. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in a modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on deer hunting and stalking.