For decades, hunters and biologists have speculated and analyzed what really instigates and dictates the whitetails’ rut. Is it really the moon phase, or a combination of environmental and biological factors? Is the rut simply blueprinted by estrous females and their genetics; and what about those individual bucks that seem to be ahead of the ball game – dominating the whole playing field – even before does are receptive? Beside testosterone, a buck’s personal attitude also has a strong influence on its ability to successfully rut…..

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These are a great starter or appetizer for any meal – you will not believe how good these are! This recipe is better with a darker meat like doves or pigeon, but you can also use pheasant, small guinea hens, goose or duck. If using pheasant, keep the pieces to about 1-inch thick. You are just trying to cover the date or fig with meat. One thing I need to try is a small piece of goat cheese to add another layer of flavor to this recipe. 

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An old hunting buddy of mine pulled up in his pickup last spring when he saw me snowshoeing out of the woods on a sunny March day. He cut right to the chase as his window cracked open, “WHERE THE BLAZES ARE THE DEER?!” I shook my head and said “We might as well be chasing white elephants!” 

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Like many of you, my eagerness for targeting mature “Northwoods” whitetail bucks has grown tremendously over the past several years. Although I have always had an unwavering passion for whitetail hunting, growing up hunting farmland deer in the Bertha-Hewitt area since 1998, though I still hunt there from time to time, the challenge of tracking down these tough, free-roaming deer in the North has me captivated. These elusive animals are like an entirely different breed of bucks altogether. 

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MDHA is committed to preserving our hunting heritage, promoting habitat education as well as building and protecting habitat to benefit deer and deer hunters in Minnesota. The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association’s Hides for Habitat program is a recycling program to turn donated deer hides into dollars to be used for habitat. Since 1985, MDHA’s Hides for Habitat program has aided us in our commitment with the collection of 1,034,708 donated deer hides to raise over $5.9 million dollars.

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Minnesota deer hunters have learned throughout the years to be leery of regulation changes that are the product of the state Legislature. 

This year was no different. 

When the legislative session’s dust settled this spring, a new law had been approved – OK’d by both the House and Senate and the bill signed by Gov. Tim Walz – that will allow anyone and everyone to use crossbows to kill deer during the entirety of the state’s archery season, beginning this year. 

For both casual and ardent Capitol observers, the rule change came as a surprise – out-of-the-blue legislation that will no doubt have its supporters and its detractors. Will it affect deer harvest? Will it affect the state’s deer herd? Officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources say it’s up to them to make that determination as best they can, with somewhat limited tools at their disposal. 

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