Huntress View: early season

· Try to pattern the deer on your property by using game cameras. Good places to hang a game camera are near known deer trails, food & water sources and mineral stations. If you can catch a buck coming to a food source in the daylight, pay attention to the time of day and his travel corridor so you know where to hang your stand or set up your ground blind.

Another thing to keep in mind when choosing a spot for your tree stand is acorns. If it’s a year where there are a lot of acorns it’s a good idea to set up your stands in the woods. Deer love acorns and once they start dropping, deer almost always choose acorns over any other type of food source you may have available on your property.

· Scent control is always a major factor but especially in early season since the temperature is still pretty warm. I use scent control body care products and field spray by Deaux Girl. Also the Deaux Girl lotion and mineral foundation do a great job at controlling odors caused by sweat.

· Another thing to keep in mind with the warmer temperatures is mosquitos. I always bring a ThermaCELL along with me on my early season hunts and they work wonders to keep the mosquitos away!

· If you are looking to shoot a mature buck, make sure you are sitting in your stand as long as possible. Especially in the early season, the older deer usually hit the food sources later than the younger deer and usually come out at last light.

· Bucks are still in their bachelor groups at beginning of season. You may have a certain group of bucks identified from your game cameras and have a buck picked out that you want to shoot. If you see the bachelor group but don’t see the buck you are after, hold tight. He is usually there with them and may come in later.

· Make sure you have an exit plan when it’s time to leave. When you walk to your stand in the afternoon you may walk through a field, but the deer may be feeding there when you want to leave. If that happens I either sit tight until I know the deer are gone from that area or exit in a different direction that I know will not spook the deer.

· Andrea Haas

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Hunting the Seasons

One of my favorite things about bow hunting is that my deer season lasts longer. Our rifle season only lasts about 10 days here in Missouri, but bow season is from mid September to January. The deer activity and patterns change from early fall to late season and knowing what their main objectives are throughout the season is key to harvesting an animal.

During summer and early fall the bucks are in their bachelor groups and their main interest is food. Having food plots with clover, alfalfa, chicory, or wheat are all good choices for the deer from spring to late fall. We prefer wheat and clover in our plots for this time of year and have found they grow the best in our area. I use the ProVide Clover with Chicory from Evolved (http://www.evolved.com/products/provide-clover-2lbs.html). I set up trail cams in the summer so I can pattern the deer and see when and where they are coming into the plots.

Mid season usually means the rut, and we all know what’s on a deer’s brain at this time! The bucks are not on their normal patterns, as they are out searching for does. My plan during this time of year is to still hunt the food sources, where the does usually remain. If you can find the does, you will have a better chance at getting a buck as he’s out cruising!

My Evolved Brassica Plot
http://www.evolved.com/products/shotplot-10lbs.html#.UxzgHvldWSo

During December to early January survival is a deer’s main objective. They seek food and cover. I read in Deer and Deer Hunting magazine that a whitetail needs about 7 pounds of food per day to survive the winter! Some great high-energy forages for winter are brassica, turnips, corn and grains. We always plant a winter plot using the ShotPlot Forage Rape andBrassica from Evolved and it was the hot spot on our hunting land this winter! The best way to increase your odds of shooting a deer in late season is to hunt these food sources and it paid off for me this year!

My 2014 buck

By being a bow hunter I have learned so much more about whitetail, their activity, and their nutritional needs as the seasons change. I am able to observe the deer and their patterns for months at a time, instead of just one week out of the year.

-Andrea Haas

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Hunting Rub Lines

Some helpful hints when scouting for a good place to hang your stand:

When you find a rub line or a single rub, if you look at what side the bark is rubbed off of, that is usually the direction in which the buck was walking as he made the rub. This will give you a good idea of where the bucks are coming from, where they are going, and the time of day that the rubs were made. Rubs are often created as the buck travels from food sources to its bedding area in the morning, or on its way back to feed in the evening. Hanging your stand along their path and hunting from early season up to the rut can be a good way to take a decent buck off your property!

Blog Home

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Early Season Gear Checklist for Women Hunters

Monday, July 14, 2014

Early Season Deer Hunting Tips

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Hunting the Seasons

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Hunting Rub Lines

Search This Blog

About Me