Big bucks to be had in the Buckeye State

Does it seem to you that every year, Ohio's whitetail bucks get bigger? It sure does to me, and there are plenty of proud hunters that prove it annually. The most recent was Matt Brunswick, a K-9 handler and officer for the Hancock County Sheriff's Department. Whether it's his family, his job or his hunting, Matt is very conscientious about putting in the time required so that success in each is not an accident. Patterning and identifying deer on the property, hours of scouting and improving the habitat are his keys to success — but those efforts aren't as atypical as they may have once been. As a teenage hunter and later as a wildlife officer, I've spent a lot of time around deer and deer hunters. From the early 1970s statewide deer population of fewer than 50,000 animals to today's number that's more than 10 times that figure, the population has certainly evolved. So have hunting regulations and the hunter. Early laws were designed to protect antler-less deer, which puts more pressure on the remaining bucks. The goal was to allow the deer population to grow. This limited the number of deer available for harvest, and many hunters felt an urgency to kill the first buck within range. The end result was that fewer deer were reaching trophy class. Still, Ohio was quickly developing a reputation for nurturing above-average Midwestern bucks. As the deer population grew and expanded, the Division of Wildlife implemented management permits to take limited numbers of antler-less deer from selected counties to control those burgeoning populations. This relaxation of harvest restrictions took some of the stress off the buck population, which in turn had a higher survival rate. Even so, the change was met with some hostility from rural landowners and deer hunters who felt killing doe deer was unwarranted. As the years passed, deer populations continued to increase. When developing biological data was tabulated, a far more liberal antler-less attitude ripened among biologists, while hunters and landowners had grown to understand management goals. Multiple deer limits became the norm. The doe, once considered an off-limits deity in the hunter's mind, became a staple of filling freezers — an important change of mindset. When hunters were no longer limited to one deer per license year, hunting habits changed. That old adage, "You can't eat antlers," began to ring especially true. Even with the restriction of one buck per hunter per year, hunters could harvest venison while also becoming more selective. Allowing smaller bucks to pass had become an investment and was not perceived as a sacrifice. During this time, there was also a shift in the preferred hunting methods. Recurve and long bows had their numbers supplemented by both compound bows and crossbows, which opened that hunting season to a wider range of participants. The archery ranks grew. The unobtrusive silence of archery became especially important close to urbanized areas. Much of this land, which is less than ideal for gun hunting, is perfect for bow hunting. It allows those deer to become more hunter accessible, which can help landowners deal with deer-related damage. Hunters have also become more sophisticated in their approach to learning about deer conservation. Organizations like the National Deer Association, Whitetails Unlimited and Black Swamp Bucks dedicate their time to educating landowners and hunters. Magazines like North American Whitetail and Buckmasters are easily found at newsstands. Habitat and nutritional recommendations from the Division of Wildlife, Mossy Oak's Game Keepers, Pheasants Forever and online resources have brought proven wildlife management techniques within reach of landowners and hunters. The resulting quality deer management approach to habitat and deer harvest has resulted in a group of very selective deer hunters looking for the trophy of a lifetime every year … and they're getting it done. They realize that management and restraint can result in future opportunities. Hunters also deploy game cameras to photograph wildlife year-round to pattern movements and keep the user connected to the wildlife and land that they love. As a bonus, these hidden cameras document incursions by trespassers — information that's often relayed to wildlife officers for action. This helps limit illegal killing and harassment of wildlife. Matt Brunswick harvested an impressive deer. Using the official scoring method of the Ohio Big Bucks Club, it scored 252. If it holds close after the required 60-day drying period, it will be the largest nontypical buck ever taken in the county, and in the top half-dozen longbow harvests ever taken in Ohio. It isn't Matt's first recordbook buck, either, having landed three others in its pages. I doubt this one will be his last. Ohio is the Buckeye State. "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." — Seneca Along the Way The National Deer Association (www.deerassociation.com) recently offered an explanation of how whitetails use different glands to communicate. While hunters likely know about the tarsal glands, the others may not be so well recognized. Pre-orbital glands: Located in the inner corner of the eyes, the pre-orbital glands may be used to leave scent traces around scrapes. The glands will also become more active in does that are nursing fawns, giving the little ones a way of identifying and finding their mothers. Forehead glands: Positioned beneath hair follicles, they're often compared to human sweat glands. These will leave scent on tree scrapes as a calling card — or warning — to other deer. This is the gland that often causes the fur around the front of the antlers to appear darker. Nasal glands: Found inside the nostrils, these aren't scent producers, but rather assist in keeping the passages moist. Inter-digital glands: These are located between the front hoof-halves. Producing a cheese-like secretion that smells like rancid butter, the glands leave traces wherever the deer walks. Other deer are able to guess how long it has been since its buddy came by, while some predators may be able to trail the scent traces. Tarsal glands: Found on the back legs near the knee, the tarsal glands don't secrete scent. They produce a fatty oil that traps urine while the deer rub-urinate on their legs. This creates a lot of bacterial growth and creates that unique stench during the rut that's unique for each deer. It's that bacteria on the tarsal glands that can contaminate meat if carelessly handled. Metatarsal glands: This one remains a bit of a mystery, and may function as a type of thermostat that helps regulate body temperature in colder climates. It's larger on mule deer than eastern whitetails. Vomeronasal organ: It's found in the roof of the mouth under the nose. While not a gland, it's used to funnel scent from a doe's urine and feeds the information to that part of the buck's brain that says, "Oh boy, got to find that doe!" Step Outside • The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has 15 resource officer positions to fill. Duties include law enforcement, education and public relations for divisions of parks and watercraft, forestry and natural areas and preserves. Applicants must be 21 and have an Ohio driver's license. Associate degree or completion of an undergraduate in natural resources, fish and/or wildlife management, criminal justice, environmental law enforcement or related field is required. A background check, psychological exam and a drug screen, as well as meeting swim and physical fitness standards, are also required. Apply at careers.ohio.gov by Jan. 15. • Monday through Sunday, Dec. 6: Ohio statewide deer gun season •Dec. 19-20: Ohio statewide deer gun season Abrams is a retired wildlife officer supervisor for the state Division of Wildlife. He can be reached at P.O. Box 413, Mount Blanchard, OH 45867-0413 or via email at jimsfieldnotes@aol.com.