Month: March 2015

A True Tale: The Story Behind This Wild Buck

Dr. Ken Nordberg Leave a comment

A true tale: this photo first appeared in my 6th Edition of Whitetail Hunters Almanac in 1993 with the caption: “Let’s see. I’ve done this, and this and this. According to this book (my 2nd Edition) I should soon see a big buck.”

I first met this buck when it was a fawn on the top of a limestone bluff fronted with NO HUNTING signs in western Wisconsin on January 1st, 1988. [Doc knew the landowner.] While other deer were sneaking or bounding away, it never stopped moving toward me, finally putting a nose-print on the lens of my camera. Always strangely tame, during succeeding visits I rewarded its welcome with potato chips. It dearly loved salty potato chips. During a following visit, I gave it some of my chocolate covered peanuts (M&Ms). It loved them even more. Though more cautious when Jene and I returned during following January firsts, the moment it heard the cracking of a bag containing these peanuts, it came running, giving me the idea for setting up this priceless photo.

Doc

A less cropped version of Dr. Ken Nordberg with a live, wild buck looking over his shoulder.

A less cropped version of Dr. Ken Nordberg with a live, wild buck looking over his shoulder.

Another photo of the same buck.

Another photo of the same buck.

Doc is talking to the buck.

Doc is talking to the buck.

A True Tale: Jene’s Buck Battle

Dr. Ken Nordberg Leave a comment
whitetail deer buck battle

A true tale: while I was hiking back to our pickup to get more film, my wife, Jene, suddenly found herself witnessing a battled between two big bucks. Pleased for the opportunity to photograph this battle, she stepped behind a big tree trunk and began snapping away. Finally forced to give significant ground and jump away to avoid injury, the buck on the right lost the battle. Soon thereafter, however, it spotted Jene and headed toward her. Before she realized what the buck was up to, it lowered its head and pressed is antlers against her chest. Knowing it would be extremely dangerous to push back or even touch those antlers in such a circumstance, she began backing away, all the while softly informing the buck she had no wish to fight, At one point it backed her into a fence but she managed to turn without putting pressure against those 10-point antlers and continued backing away. About five minutes later, the buck finally halted, raised its head and walked away, its ego doubtless restored.

Buck_Battle_02

It took a lot longer for Jene’s heartbeat to be restored.

Doc

Dominant Buck Characteristics

Dr. Ken Nordberg Leave a comment

How to identify a dominant breeding buck. (From mid-October until late November.) Here is a nice a photo that shows some of the characteristics of a dominant breeding buck.

  • Obviously, superior antlers.
  • Greatly enlarged neck.
  • Scalp musk seeping down both sides of the buck’s neck.
  • When the syrupy scalp musk flows down onto the sides of the neck, the fur will typically become striated as shown here.
  • Rumpled fur. The body fur has an unkempt appearance.
  • Enlarged tarsal glands inside of hind legs.
  • Arched tail.
  • Stiff legs. Buck walks stiffly with arched tail, when in the company of other deer
  • If other bucks are in view, his ears will be back like this buck’s ears are — or cupped downward — indicating he his ire is up. He is a dangerous animal to other bucks when he looks like this.

Good Hunting,

Doc

(This is my first official post to my new blog.)

Do-It-Yourself Black Bear Baiting and Hunting, Third Edition

Dr. Ken Nordberg Leave a comment

Dr. Ken Nordberg has published the third edition of his famous bear book in ebook format. This great book has been the bible for black bear hunters for over 20 years. This completely revised edition includes quite a bit of new information. Using HD video, Doc demonstrates how to set up a tree stand for black bear hunting, how correctly make a bait crib, and how to set up positioning bait.

Here is a link to Dr. Ken Nordberg’s latest bear book.

This ebook can be purchased using Apple’s iTunes and read using Apple’s iBooks software.