April 8, 2021 – The Spring 2021 issue of Quality Whitetails magazine is on the way to National Deer Association (NDA) members, featuring a cover photo by Donald M. Jones. Here’s a preview of what NDA members are reading right now. If you’re not a current member, you can join by April 15, 2021, and still receive this issue in a second mailing, plus a full year’s worth of great deer hunting and habitat management content.
Do Brassicas Actually Get “Sweeter” After a Frost? You’ve probably said it before, and a lot of hunters believe it. But is it true? Mark Turner, Bonner Powell and Dr. Craig Harper at the University of Tennessee set up a scientific food-plot study to find out, and this is the first time their results have been shared with the hunting public.
What I Learned From Talking to Non-Hunters. During the pandemic in 2020, Zack Vucurevich of Ohio decided to try online dating. Listing his profession as “wildlife biologist” led many people to imagine Steve Irwin or Jack Hanna, opening a door for many interesting conversations about hunting with folks who knew little about it.
Drooling for Evidence. Tess Gingery of Pennsylvania’s Deer-Forest Study shares interesting new findings on fawn survival. Using fawn saliva to measure stress levels, Tess points out some surprising conclusions about what does and doesn’t cause stress that can reduce survival.
Big Plans on a Small Property. NDA Communications Manager Brian Grossman of Georgia recently moved his family onto a 15-acre tract in Georgia. For deer, it’s a fixer-upper with a lot of potential. Learn Brian’s early assessment of the situation and his plans for upgrades in what will become a series in print and on NDA’s YouTube channel.
Field to Fork Snapshot. Due to the pandemic, NDA had to temporarily scale-down our hunter recruitment gatherings, but still our Branch volunteers got a lot done. Hank Forester updates some of the 2020 events held for first-time adult hunters.
How I Fooled Four Mature Deer. Kip Adams of Pennsylvania, NDA’s Chief Conservation Officer, recalls memorable hunts for the oldest, most experienced deer he has killed, including three bucks and a doe. He shares lessons from each that can help you see more mature deer where you hunt.
Deer by the Numbers. It’s time for our annual look at the most interesting new deer research to come from the Southeast Deer Study Group meeting. Lindsay Thomas Jr., NDA’s Chief Communications Officer, shares 12 eye-opening statistics from the deer science world.
Forage Your Way Through Your Summertime Habitat Projects. Improving habitat for deer will also produce fruit and plants that hunters can eat too! Bruce Ingram of Virginia teaches you how he and his wife Elaine hunt and gather summer foods in deer habitat, including recipes.
My Fight With Lyme. It’s the time of year to start paying attention to ticks again. Jeremy Bechtel’s story of his struggle with Lyme disease will motivate you to remove ticks quickly, or prevent them from biting you to start with, when you’re afield this summer.
Plus: Dr. Craig Harper’s recipe for smoked venison sandwich slices, Ryan Basinger’s advice on how to screen food plots for better hunting success, “Age This!”, NDA mission updates, and two great deer-hunting stories.
Become an NDA member today and help us ensure the future of wild deer, wildlife habitat and hunting.
To join: www.deerassociation.com/join
About the National Deer Association
Formally launched on November 10, 2020, the National Deer Association is a non-profit deer conservation group that leads efforts to ensure the future of wild deer, wildlife habitat and hunting. Formed by combining the strengths of two long-serving, successful organizations, the National Deer Association has a combined 38 years of action that has changed deer management for the betterment of hunting and protected North America’s most vital and admired game species for future generations. Visit DeerAssociation.com or follow @deerassociation on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.