Size matters, but quality is most important
Another year has come and gone for deer hunters. Natural and planted food sources have either dried up or have been trampled down by overzealous wildlife. With the spring planting season just around the corner, February is a perfect time to reflect on the effectiveness of the previous year’s food plots and develop a plan for change and improvement.
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Eifird takes season's final Bag-A-Bucks contest
Andy Efird waited until almost the last minute to make his 2009-10 hunting season a successful one.
He shot a big 9-point buck on Dec. 31, but he didn’t find it and finish it off until New Year’s Day — just in the nick of time to get it entered in North Carolina Sportsman’s final monthly Bag-A-Buck contest.
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Post-season scouting key to finding trophies
Hopefully, the 2009 deer season resulted in trophies for many hunters and plenty of venison for many more. Just as they do every season, a few mysterious bucks evade the sights of the serious hunters and survive. For some hunters, thinking about outsmarting a trophy buck ends on Jan. 1, but post-season scouting is a tremendous way to understand where big, mature bucks reside and why they show up in these areas.
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Gather reproductive data from does
In most areas in the Carolinas, the primary rut is over by the time December rolls around, and the majority of does are pregnant. Many end up on the skinning rack, destined to become mouth-watering sausage and tender steaks.
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WRC considers moving public hearings to September
Because of problems getting some deer proposals into law for the 2009 hunting season, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is considering moving its January 2011 public hearings five months ahead to September 2010.
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Boykin wins October's Bag-a-Buck contest
Jeffrey Boykin of Wilson had a big two weeks, beginning in mid-October.
On Oct. 19, he killed a 10-point buck on his family's farm near Rock Ridge in Wilson County.
On Oct. 30, his wife gave birth to his first child.
Four days later, he was picked as the winner of North Carolina Sportsman’s October Bag-a-Buck contest.
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Replenish nutrients in your food plots to keep them on deer’s main menu
A nutritious, palatable food plot will draw wildlife from clear across the county — or at least one would hope for such a scenario. As long as deer are not overly-disturbed by hunters, the herd will munch away on a regular basis, testing the crop’s ability to flourish under pressure.
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