Timber! How to Hunt Big Woods Bucks in Clearcuts and Selective Cuts
For years I hunted in Randolph County, WV, on land owned by Mead Westvaco which produced a number of brand name paper products. It was...
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Ralph Scherder
- Sep 14
- 7 min
Finding Bucks During the October Transition
I had my eye on a particular 10-point all summer, counting down to opening day. The buck came through this little funnel two or three...
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Ralph Scherder
- Jun 6
- 7 min
Learn to Hunt: Advice for New Bowhunters
My first year of bowhunting was filled with mistakes. Unfortunately, you don’t get many do-overs in the outdoors, but if I only knew then...
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Ralph Scherder
- Mar 28
- 4 min
Where Do Big Bucks Come From?
Big bucks don’t fall out of the sky or sprout up from the ground without reason. They are a product of three elements, all of which...
11 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 27
- 5 min
Scouting for Spring Turkeys
It’s that time of year again. Slowly the days start getting warmer and the chance of snow in the forecast grows less likely. Sure, we may...
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Ralph Scherder
- Mar 9
- 6 min
Is the First Sit Really the Best Sit for Deer?
After a summer of stacking up trail camera photos of good bucks, the temptation to rush in and hunt can be mighty strong. As a lifelong...
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Ralph Scherder
- Jan 8
- 4 min
Whitetail Behaviors and Tendencies
Thanks to GPS and other tracking technology, scientists have the ability to closely monitor whitetail movements. Every year, and all...
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Ralph Scherder
- Dec 19, 2022
- 7 min
Late Season Mountain Whitetails
Post-rut, post-gun season mountain whitetails are not easy when you hunt public land. I’ve always been a little envious of those private...
89 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Dec 13, 2022
- 7 min
Do Big Woods Bucks Shed Their Antlers Earlier Than Other Bucks?
At 10:00 am on November 26th, opening day of Pennsylvania’s rifle season, I squeezed the trigger on what I thought was a very decent...
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Ralph Scherder
- Aug 10, 2021
- 4 min
When is the Best Time to Hang A Treestand?
I like options during hunting season. I set up several stands in a variety of locations, all of which factor in deer movement, wind...
376 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Jun 29, 2021
- 4 min
Cutaneous Fibroma...a.k.a. "Deer Warts"
I'll never forget the shock I felt when going through a batch of trail camera photos and finding a snap of a doe with a mass of tumors on...
394 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Jun 24, 2021
- 3 min
Bears on the Move
Spring and summer are odd times for black bears. Think about it, after months of hibernation they emerge from their dens hungry and...
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Ralph Scherder
- Jun 23, 2021
- 4 min
The Goodbye Girls: A Look at Doe Dispersal
Usually, when we talk about dispersal among whitetail deer, we talk about male dispersal, which occurs in the fall. The infatuation with...
164 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Jun 17, 2021
- 4 min
Antler Growth and Development
Antler tissue is the fastest normal growing tissue known to man. Considering that most antlers begin developing in late March and early...
220 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- May 23, 2021
- 5 min
Fawn Mortality in the Big Woods
Recently I re-watched a webinar on YouTube called “Who’s Eating Bambi?” which was based on a three-year collaborative effort between the...
362 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- May 12, 2021
- 6 min
Can Wolves Help Control the Spread of CWD?
Since 1995, when they were first reintroduced in Yellowstone National Park, wolves have been a topic of controversy among sportsmen as...
62 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- May 10, 2021
- 6 min
Scouting and Hunting in Snake Country
Stay calm. Don’t panic. That’s the advice most experts give to anyone bitten by a venomous snake. Well, easier said than done! Much of...
227 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Apr 1, 2021
- 6 min
Trail Camera Studies: Predicting Last Year's Rut
Here’s a rut prediction that would’ve come in handy last fall: “November 11-14 may be the best four days of the season. Pack a lunch and...
202 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 27, 2021
- 5 min
The Wanderlust Gobbler: Going to the Edge of the Map to Fill a Tag
~ By Kyle Hey The top of the mountain was painted in thick green underbrush opening into a freshly timbered slope that stretched across...
98 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 7, 2021
- 8 min
Minerals and Attractants: Do They Really Work?
We’ve all heard the claims. Every year, new products hit the market claiming to “unlock the genetic potential” of whitetails better than...
108 views0 comments
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