My long time friend,  Larry Weishuhn (Mr. Whitetail) makes his living hunting all over the globe for everything from cape buffalo in Africa to whitetail deer in Texas.  Larry’s title “Mr. Whitetail” is justly deserved. He’s not only a popular TV show host but an educated wildlife biologists as well. I visited with Larry a couple days ago and he reminded me to advise my readers that the whitetail rut can be going strong as early as the opener of deer season, depending upon the area of the state one hunts. “A couple years ago, I hunted and filmed a TV show at The Big Woods, located near Tennessee Colony, below Lake Richland Chambers. By the third week in October, the bucks were chasing does all over the ranch. If you’re hunting the eastern portion of the state around the opener of deer season, go prepared with your rattling horns and a grunt call and don’t be afraid to use them. The early part of the rut is a great time to lure big bucks within rifle range by rattling horns and ‘buck grunting’.” To keep up with the biggest whitetails taken this season, visit www.loscazadores.com, the big buck contest that Weishuhn and his partners operate.

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TAKE A KID HUNTING- Someone  has to take the time to introduce youngsters  to the sport of hunting, why not let that ‘someone’ be you!  Each of us that have spent time in the woods pursuing game can trace our early hunting career to someone that took the time to teach us the basics of gun safety and hunting skills. Make no mistake, teaching a youngster gun safety is the primary lesson; the place to begin. Accuracy with a rifle or shotgun is learned through repetition and training should begin well before the youngster takes to the field. Keep in mind that on those first few hunts with a youngster, focus must be on him or her learning the basics, YOU will be serving as the guide/trainer, not as a hunter. Your focus must be on your charge for the day, his or her safety and making sure the outing is fun. If hunting big game such as deer or wild hogs, use a lighter caliber. Reduced recoil ammunition is available for many calibers.  Shooting heavy recoiling rifles early in a youngsters career often causes flinching problems  during practice so stick with a pleasant shooting, lighter caliber, especially those first few years. The early youth waterfowl and deer seasons (weekends before the general seasons) is a great time to get kids out in the field. Fewer hunters are present and game is easier to pattern. Keep it safe and fun and I can guarantee you will have as much fun during the outing as your young charge! LC

Listen to Outdoors with Luke Clayton Radio at www.catfishradio.com. Contact Luke with fishing and hunting news at lukeclayton@prodigy.net