Scenic big woods country. A promising split-brow buck. Put them together and you have our Week 2 HIT LIST winner. Enter Now!
So far in 2017 it seems the stars are aligning for Wisconsin’s Nathaniel Melton. Melton, 44, of Spooner, fortunately chose to set out his game cameras earlier than ever this spring, coinciding perfectly with our new Big Buck HIT LIST contest. Soon after, when Melton captured a few pics of a very promising split-brow big woods Wisconsin buck, he would become our Week Two winner. Here’s hoping Melton makes good use of his HuntStand app this fall to help him extend his winning streak, and make it happen on stand. Got a few summer of 2017 game cam pics you’d like to share? Enter now to claim one of the remaining 10 prizes!
“I recently got these pics, which are five days apart,” Melton explained. “I have this camera set up at a corner edge where a swamp, a field, and woods come together, and where you can find a creek in wet years. We have no prior history with this buck that I know of, I think we would know because of the splits on his brow tines. This spot also holds a mineral lick where the local deer have been checking things out. I am amazed at how fast they can grow in a week or so. The dates on these trail camera images are correct. This is the earliest I have ever put out trail cams for deer, so I am hoping this buck will be a shooter this year. I have no previous history with this buck but I am naming him ‘Splits.’ If he grows into a shooter I hope to hunt him with my bow come September here in Wisconsin.”
For his Week Two win, Melton will be sent a new-for-2017 Thermacell MR450 Handheld Repeller (see image above), valued at $35. More good news? There are 1o more opportunities to win a MR450 of your own.
To enter the HuntStand 2017 Big Buck HIT LIST contest, simply send us a few clear, digital trail cam photos (two to four) of a buck (or bucks) taken in the summer of 2017 (day or night images, photos accepted through Sept. 18). Include a few sentences detailing the type of terrain/area where the image(s) were captured (field edge, favorite stand site, etc.) and some info on the buck(s) pictured. Do you have any history with the buck? Is the buck a likely newcomer to your area? Is it somehow unusual or unique for the area? What weapons/seasons will you use to hunt the pictured buck(s)?
Along with your photos, include your full name, age, photo date(s) and state, and also be sure to include your mailing address. Your e-mail subject line should read: Big Buck HIT LIST! Send your photo(s) and requested info to: [email protected]
Thermacell took years of feedback from their customers aimed at the Handheld Repeller, and completely revamped the design, creating the new MR450. The redesigned grill allows for better airflow in an upright position, which helps emit a more-effective zone of protection if attached to your belt. The ignition switch is 50 to 80 percent quieter, and every unit comes with a belt clip for easy access and storage.
Maybe the most exciting feature is the indicator light, which illuminates when the unit has reached the appropriate temperature to emit the zone of protection. The indicator light will also let users know when the unit is running low on fuel—rather than being attacked by mosquitoes. The MR450 uses the same mats and butane cartridges as previous units, so users will experience the same mosquito-free sits in treestands and ground blinds.
