Hunting for the ideal deer tract
March 2010
A deer hunter’s dream is to have the perfect property littered with lush, natural food sources and covered with trophy bucks.
Size matters, but quality is most important
February 2010
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.
Post-season scouting key to finding trophies
January 2010
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.
Gather reproductive data from does
December 2009
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.
Replenish nutrients in your food plots to keep them on deer’s main menu
November 2009
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.
Food-plot alternatives? Of course
October 2009
Deer hunting has its highs and lows, but there is nothing like sitting in a tree stand, peering through the predawn darkness, anxiously awaiting the gentle glow from the eastern sky. As daylight draws close, the eyes begin to construct shapes throughout the lush, over-sized food plot. There is no other place a well-seasoned hunter would like to be. In fact, a large and well-cultivated food plot carrying loads of mouth-watering, succulent forage for the deer herd to pillage is the perfect food source, deer attractant, and an ideal stand set-up.
Preparation is fall food-plot key
September 2009
Even though a few game zones in South Carolina are already open for early-season velvet hunts, the remaining deer hunters in the Carolinas are anxiously awaiting Opening Day while plowing and planning out the last details of their fall food plots.
Develop strategies for trophy deer
August 2009
As a buck’s antler velvet begins to lose its blood supply and dry out at the tail end of the month, deer hunters need to review objectives and historical harvest data, then decide what their goals will be for the season. Throughout modern America, the sport of deer hunting is becoming more of a science, with greater emphasis on the scientific method.
It’s time to prepare those shooting lanes
July 2009
With deer season just around the corner, July is the prime time to prepare shooting lanes and remove problem trees around stand sites. Deer will spook easily and prefer to travel within areas of the wilderness that are void of human scent or unnatural disturbance. Excessive cuttings around stand sites should be discouraged during the season to prevent big, mature deer from altering their travel patterns. Despite the sweltering heat, July is a grand time to clean up old and prepare new shooting lanes.
Perform CPR on your food plots
June 2009
June unravels the last few layers of spring, marked by warm, moist nights and longer days.
It's not too late to plant your summer food plots
May 2009
By the first week of May, the danger of a killer frost is improbable, and any planned summer food plots should be well underway. Unfortunately, many part-time land managers/hunters do not sow the first seed until May. Preparing, planting, and maintaining food plots usually is not most hunters’ primary occupation. April also falls in the middle of the spring turkey season in North Carolina and South Carolina. Broadcasting seed throughout a freshly-tilled food plot after a spending a morning chasing a gobbler may not sit well with your local game warden during the afternoon hunt.
Shed hunting improves your trophy chances
March 2009
Hunting whitetail deer throughout the Carolinas involves year-round scouting and preparation to truly have the opportunity to bag a trophy buck. Mature bucks are sneaky and mysterious, but they always leave a mark. For instance, they cannot walk without leaving evidence of imprints in the soil or being spotted traveling across highways and through fields at night during the rut. With many tools available to identify these majestic animals, collecting sheds still remains an important tactic for identifying the quality of bucks utilizing a property and their late-season hangouts.
Use post-season to scout and prep next year’s big-buck hideouts
February 2009
The 2008 season was another banner year for many deer hunters, with trophy racks lined up at the taxidermist and a year’s worth of steak, sausage, and jerky chilling in the icebox. While many hunters bagged their trophies, many big bucks survived, leaving leftover tags and a bundle of cash ear-marked for the local taxidermist under the mattress for another year. An opportunity for a big buck takes food-source development and thorough scouting, pre-season and post-season. Outsmarting big bucks begins just after the close of the season, while they are still in their late-season locales. Post-season scouting is critical to locate the “big boy’s” playground, because too much disturbance during the season will disrupt the deer’s pattern, shifting them to another location.
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