I’m glad you showed interest in this site. My name is Tony Morris. As you have guessed, I am the man behind  “Tony’s Outdoors.” I would like to start out by telling you a little bit about myself. I am 34 year old, I have been married for six years to an understanding wife (she must be to put up with all the hunting I do, if I’m not in the woods,  I’m watching it on T.V., or talking about it with my friends). She used to joke about how if she wanted to see me she would have to come over and  skin deer at a local deer processor I  worked for. I do not have any kids of my own, but I am always up for taking any child interested in hunting to the woods. I’ve been hunting for about 15 years, and by no means am I an expert, but I have been schooled by numerous deer.

When I was a greenhorn to the sport, there was a lot of things that I learned to do and even more things that I shouldn’t do, and I am still learning things every day. I think this website will be beneficial to every hunter who stumbles upon it. It will give us deer hunters a place to come to and share our ideas, ask each other questions, and tell our tales. There is no better way to learn than thru our own experiences and the experiences of others.

Hunting in Alabama can be difficult at times, I have hunted a lot of public land (and for anyone who has hunted public land – you know how discouraging it can be) and I have been in several hunting clubs scattered all over the state. I have killed some really good bucks on both public and  private land. But as you may know, the hunting, for the most part is the same. You have to be willing to do what it takes to get out there and hunt.

Hunting is also about the people that you hunt with. I’ve always hunted with my brother and several friends, which have changed some over the years for one reason or the other. Good hunting partners can make a very enjoyable season.

There is a lot that I’m going to share with you about the outdoors, but keep in mind that I’m not an expert, I’m just an outdoors kind of guy wanting to share some of my experiences, and hear some of yours.

Working hard in the off season can mean a more productive hunting season.

I had this idea that I could rope a deer, put it in a stall, feed it up on corn for a couple of weeks, then kill it and eat it. The first step in this adventure was getting a deer. I figured that, since they congregate at my cattle feeder and do not seem to have much fear of me when we are there (a bold one will sometimes come right up and sniff at the bags of feed while I am in the back of the truck not 4 feet away), it should not be difficult to rope one, get up to it and toss a bag over its head (to calm it down) then hog tie it and transport it home.

I filled the cattle feeder then hid down at the end with my rope. The cattle, having seen the roping thing before, stayed well back. They were not having any of it. After about 20 minutes, my deer showed up — 3 of them. I picked out a likely looking one, stepped out from the end of the feeder, and threw my rope. The deer just stood there and stared at me. I wrapped the rope around my waist and twisted the end so I would have a good hold.

The deer still just stood and stared at me, but you could tell it was mildly concerned about the whole rope situation. I took a step towards it, it took a step away. I put a little tension on the rope .., and then received an education. The first thing that I learned is that, while a deer may just stand there looking at you funny while you rope it, they are spurred to action when you start pulling on that rope.

That deer EXPLODED. The second thing I learned is that pound for pound, a deer is a LOT stronger than a cow or a colt. A cow or a colt in that weight range I could fight down with a rope and with some dignity. A deer– no chance.

That thing ran and bucked and twisted and pulled. There was no controlling it and certainly no getting close to it. As it jerked me off my feet and started dragging me across the ground, it occurred to me that having a deer on a rope was not nearly as good an idea as I had originally imagined. The only upside is that they do not have as much stamina as many other animals.

A brief 10 minutes later, it was tired and not nearly as quick to jerk me off my feet and drag me when I managed to get up. It took me a few minutes to realize this, since I was mostly blinded by the blood flowing out of the big gash in my head. At that point, I had lost my taste for corn-fed venison. I just wanted to get that devil creature off the end of that rope.

I figured if I just let it go with the rope hanging around its neck, it would likely die slow and painfully somewhere. At the time, there was no love at all between me and that deer. At that moment, I hated the thing, and I would venture a guess that the feeling was mutual. Despite the gash in my head and the several large knots where I had cleverly arrested the deer’s momentum by bracing my head against various large rocks as it dragged me across the ground, I could still think clearly enough to recognize that there was a small chance that I shared some tiny amount of responsibility for the situation we were in. I didn’t want the deer to have to suffer a slow death, so I managed to get it lined back up in between my truck and the feeder – a little trap I had set before hand…kind of like a squeeze chute. I got it to back in there and I started moving up so I could get my rope back.

Did you know that deer bite?

They do! I never in a million years would have thought that a deer would bite somebody, so I was very surprised when … I reached up there to grab that rope and the deer grabbed hold of my wrist. Now, when a deer bites you, it is not like being bit by a horse where they just bite you and then let go. A deer bites you and shakes its head –almost like a pit bull. They bite HARD and it hurts.

The proper thing to do when a deer bites you is probably to freeze and draw back slowly. I tried screaming and shaking instead. My method was ineffective.

It seems like the deer was biting and shaking for several minutes, but it was likely only several seconds. I, being smarter than a deer (though you may be questioning that claim by now), tricked it. While I kept it busy tearing the tendons out of my right arm, I reached up with my left hand and pulled that rope loose.

That was when I got my final lesson in deer behavior for the day.

Deer will strike at you with their front feet. They rear right up on their back feet and strike right about head and shoulder level, and their hooves are surprisingly sharp. I learned a long time ago that, when an animal –like a horse –strikes at you with their hooves and you can’t get away eas ily, the best thing to do is try to make a loud noise and make an aggressive move towards the animal. This will usually cause them to back down a bit so you can escape.

This was not a horse. This was a deer, so obviously, such trickery would not work. In the course of a millisecond, I devised a different strategy. I screamed like a woman and tried to turn and run. The reason I had always been told NOT to try to turn and run from a horse that paws at you is that there is a good chance that it will hit you in the back of the head. Deer may not be so different from horses after all, besides being twice as strong and 3 times as evil, because the second I turned to run, it hit me right in the back of the head and knocked me down.

Now, when a deer paws at you and knocks you down, it does not immediately leave. I suspect it does not recognize that the danger has passed. What they do instead is paw your back and jump up and down on you w hile you are laying there crying like a little girl and covering your head.

I finally managed to crawl under the truck and the deer went away. So now I know why when people go deer hunting they bring a rifle with a scope to sort of even the odds.

All these events are true…. An Educated Rancher

This time of the year has to my favorite time of the year. The acorns start falling, the leaves start turning, and deer season is in full swing. It is nice to see the different colors of the leaves this time of the year, and especially when the sun hits them in the afternoon. I love that the temperatures are dropping and it is starting to get to the holidays. And yes, deer are on the move. Where we hunt the rut is coming on pretty soon. We are already seeing scrapes and rubs and a lot of deer movement. Deer hunters all over the country are seeing deer and harvesting some nice bucks and does. They are plans being made to travel, hunting shows being made, and most of all memories being made. I’m hearing stories of deer and guys going out of state and seeing huge deer. At the hunting club I’m in, they are some youth taking their first deer. That is really exciting to see our youth getting involved in our sport.

Well, I have looked at several different hunting lodges and they’re not all the same. Some lodges will help you get your trophy home by arranging all of the travel plans, as part of your hunt.

There are some lodges that do not include the transportation of your game. So you need to find out before you go on a hunt if you’re going to have game transportation as part of your hunt.

If you drive to other places to hunt, whether it is a paid hunt, hunting club, or even a self guided public land hunt, you need to carry a cooler so you can ice your deer down as soon as possible.

I have also found a place that will arrange all of your transportation needs. TrophyTransport is located out of North Carolina.

]]> http://www.tonysoutdoors.com/blog/deer-hunting-tips/how-do-you-get-that-trophy-buck-home-after-you-shoot/feed 0 http://www.tonysoutdoors.com/blog/deer-hunting-tips/how-to-choose-your-hunting-rifle http://www.tonysoutdoors.com/blog/deer-hunting-tips/how-to-choose-your-hunting-rifle#comments Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:55:23 +0000 Tony Morris http://www.tonysoutdoors.com/blog/?p=52 Amateur hunters must give this subject a lot of thought because the hunting efficiency depends greatly on the used rifle. With other words, if hunters don’t own a suitable rifle for a particular type of hunting and to fit the hunting style, the results won’t show up very soon and in some cases, not at all.

The very first issue a future rifle owner must think about is the cartridge. Let’s take for example choosing a rifle for a deer hunt. Experts affirm that a 150 grain bullet is recommended for this type of hunting. To narrow the list, it is advisable to look for the most popular models, like the: .270 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .308 Winchester and others as well. What future rifle owners must know is that standard cartridges are uniquely named so the name of the cartridge indicates the dynamic and physical characteristics of the cartridge. Hunters mustn’t forget that in order to safely fire a cartridge, the rifle must accept that specific cartridge as it can’t fire other cartridges.

Next order of business, future rifle owners must think about the action. Basically, there are four types: bolt action, lever action, pump action and self-loading ( auto-loading / semi-automatic ) action. Single shot rifles come in the following types: break-open, rolling block, falling block, trapdoor and others as well. Of all of the above mentioned, the bolt action retriever has the simplest design which allows rifles to be loaded with more than just one single cartridge. It is also easier to maintain and is more reliable in comparison with other action types.

Stock materials are in most cases made out of wood ( laminated or not ), fiberglass or plastic. The rifles that have a wood stock material are generally made out of walnut due to the fact that it is sturdy; feels good in the hunter’s hands and it is also aesthetically pleasing. From all common stock materials, the laminated wood is the strongest and the most durable available but they are a little bit heavier than others. More and more popular among hunters are the synthetic materials basically because they are less expensive and less affected by moisture in comparison with the walnut stocks.

The barrel length varies from 18 to 26 inches but all lengths aren’t available on all models. When choosing the length, hunters must think about what the length implies: the stiffness of the barrel, the length, the weight and the bullet’s speed as it leaves the barrel’s end. If the barrel is longer it will so to say “ wiggle “ when the cartridge is fired which will have a huge impact on the accuracy. Shorter barrels are a little bit more accurate but for a hunting rifle the difference is basically insignificant. The disadvantage of a lighter gun is that the recoil is more powerful in comparison with the recoil on heavier rifles.

Most of the metal parts of a bolt action rifle are made of either carbon steel or stainless steel. Carbon steel has one major advantage and one major disadvantage. The major advantage would be that it is less expensive while the major disadvantage would be that it has the tendency to rust ( although carbon steel parts are in most cases treated in order to reduce the rusting risks ). Stainless steel parts resist very good to rust but are a little bit more expensive.

As you can see, there are many aspects a hunter must take into consideration before choosing the most suitable hunting rifle. One last thought, it is very important to think about the game you are about to hunt before choosing the rifle and also don’t exaggerate when buying, not too expensive but also not too cheap, somewhere in between.

[flickr album=72157612218697627 num=10 size=medium]

The natural browse consists of all native foods of deer that we do not plant. Honeysuckle, Muscadines, Green Briar are all examples of natural browse, also we have things like your oak trees, and persimmon trees. They are just as important as everything that we could plant. There are things to do that improve the overall benefits to the deer herd. Everybody always thinks about deer hunting when summer starts to end, but we need to be thinking and planning now. In February, we need to start working on all of these places.

Starting in February, you can start fertilizing your oak trees. Go around the drip line of the tree and start placing your fertilizer. There are several different types of fertilizers that you can use, so be sure that you use the right application for the job. Also your persimmon trees are important to look at now. Do the same for your persimmon trees that you do for your oak trees and they will give you close to the same results. Starting at first green up in spring, you can start adding fertilizers to your honeysuckle, greenbriar, and muscadines. Then after 45-60 days you can add a light coat of fertilizers as long as you are still getting plenty of rain. Don’t fertilize if your rainfall has stopped, because you will burn up your natural browse. Fertilizing all of this stuff will boost your protein levels up, which is exactly what you are trying to do.

If you take the time and effort to do all of this extra work during the off season, it will pay off in deer season. This will benefit both you and the deer herd in your area. Your oak trees and persimmon trees should produce more mast, which will be a magnet when deer season opens. Your natural browse will have a better protein level; therefore you will have a better antler production. It all affects you, whether you realize it or not. This is also the time to be putting salt into the ground, so the salt will be in the ground good by the time summer gets here. Mineral salt or mineral supplement are also another way to get your antlers built up. Check your local game laws, just to make sure what is legal and what is not.

Willis Orchards
This company has a large variety of trees and muscadines. I think it would be beneficial to take a moment and look at this site.

In a bowl, mix together the buttermilk and the water.
Soak the venison steaks for 90 minutes.
Remove the steaks and drain.
Add salt, pepper, and garlic to flour and mix well
Tenderize by hacking both sides.
Roll the steaks in flour and coat both sides thoroughly.
Fry in hot oil, turning once.

Serve as desired.

Mix venison, pork, rice, garlic, onion, salts, pepper and eggs in a bowl. Cut off the tops of the peppers and set aside. Clean out the seeds carefully. Stuff meat mixture into peppers and replace tops. Place in a dutch oven and add tomato sauce and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer on low for about 1 hour. Add water as necessary if liquid gets low. Remove and serve hot. Serves 5 to 6

In a dutch oven, brown bacon, onions and green pepper in oil. Add meat, salts and pepper. Continue cooking until meat is browned on all sides. Add 1 quart water and simmer 1 hour. Add vegetables and simmer until meat and vegetables are tender (30 mins to 45 mins). Add mushroom soup and remainder of water. Mix flour with the 4 tablespoons of water and add gradually to the stew, stirring constantly as stew thickens. Simmer 5 minutes. Serves 8.

*This is one of my favorites to take to the hunting club and warm in the crock pot while we are hunting. When we come out for lunch and diner – it is nice to have a warm meal waiting.

Brown deer burger in Dutch oven; drain fat. Add next 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat; simmer over low heat for 30 mins. Serve with chopped onions, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Form round patties out of ground venison, season with salt and pepper and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour beef broth over patties. Spoon cream of mushroom over the patties. Place slices of onions on top. Wrap in foil and bake for 2 hours on 350. Mix brown gravy as instructed on package. Remove foil and pour gravy mixture on top – place back in the over and cook for 30 to 45 mins. – This is a great way to use some of your more gamey meat.

Rub seasonings into roast. Secure bacon strips over meat with toothpicks. Wrap meat securely in aluminum foil and bake at 325*F for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours, or until meat is tender and looses pink color. Serves 6 to 8.

Most scopes have a variety of reticles, different powers, or different finishes. Scopes also have a big price range as well. I think you need to put the same quality in your scope as you do your rifle. What I’m trying to say is if you buy a high quality rifle, then you need to put a higher quality scope on it. I used to put a cheap scope on my rifles, and after breaking crosshairs on them I went to a midrange scope and have had much better luck.

The average deer rifle used to sport a 3-9 scope, and for good reason. Three power is low enough, with enough light transmission and field of view for close shots in most applications, and nine power gives you plenty of magnification for longer shots. A large amount of people now want to choose scopes for whitetails with top magnification of 14, 20, or even higher. This is, more often than not, a mistake. Not only does higher magnification subtract from your available light, the low end of a high magnification scope is much too high to take a very close shot. Your scope on a whitetail rifle should almost always be kept at its lowest power. If your scope is turned up on its higher magnification, it may be hard to find the deer if it is up close or if it is too dark. Low power is more important in most cases. You can always shoot far with low power, or have time to turn your scope up, but you can’t shoot close with high power because your field of view (FOV) is too small and light transmission is poor.

Scopes don’t gather light, as most people think, although the term “light gathering ability” has become accepted. Scopes transmit light through the lenses to your eye, always losing a bit in the process. The best scope can hope to offer in light transmission is a theoretical 98%, which only the very finest scopes can hope to approach. Anything above 95% is considered great, and most scopes are around 90%, give or take a bit. The more magnification you have, the less light you get to your eyepiece. The larger the objective lens, the more you get through your eyepiece. The small circle of light that appears in the eyepiece when you hold a scope at arms length is called an exit pupil.

Here’s an interesting experiment to help explain it. Take a variable scope, put it at its lowest power, and hold it at arms length. See the circle of light in the ocular lens? That is the exit pupil. The diameter of it in millimeters is the exit pupil size. Now turn the scope up to its highest power and try it again. See how much smaller it gets?

Imagine if you are using this scope during poor lighting conditions as common in hunting situations, like dawn or dusk. How small and dark will that exit pupil be? How well do you think you’ll be able to see through that tiny circle of light? A formula for exit pupil is as follows: Divide the objective lens size in millimeters by the magnification.

Example: if your 3-9X40 scope is set at 3X, 40 divided by 3 equals 13.3 millimeters, which is large enough for almost all low light applications. If your scope is set at 9X, 40 divided by 9 equals 4.44millimeters. The difference in available light from the larger exit pupil is significant. The larger the exit pupil, the less critical the position of your head in relation to the scope is, also. The distance that your eye must be to the ocular lens to get a full, clear picture is called eye relief. Lower powered scopes will have a larger range of distance available for a full view.

Higher powered scopes are sometimes very critical in relation to the centering of your eye through the middle of the tube, and the distance your eye must be from the ocular lens. Sometimes there is only a half inch closer or further you may be to see the whole available view. The largest eye relief currently available is about five inches, and that is pretty rare. Four inches is still great, and most scopes are between three and three and a half inches. Higher recoiling guns including slug guns require lots of eye relief to prevent “scope eye” or the cut that some people get from the ocular lens of the scope coming back under recoil and cutting a semicircular gash above the shooter’s eye.

When mounting a scope, it should be at its highest power, and in a position that your head and neck are comfortable. Your head should be positioned on the stock in the position you will be shooting the most. For instance, if you sight in a gun while shooting off a bench rest, your head tends to sneak up on the stock a bit. If this gun is then used for snap shooting for deer in the woods, your eye relief might not be optimal, nor might your sight picture.

Parallax is hard for most people to understand. One way to help explain it is to picture the following: Most riflescopes in a medium-high variable power range, 10x or slightly higher, which often don’t have external parallax adjustments, are parallax corrected at either 100 or 150 yards. If you take one of these scopes that is set at 100 yards and put it in a vise on high power, with the crosshairs centered on a bulls eye on a target at say, 25 yards, and move your head slightly off center to the left and right or up and down, you’ll see the crosshairs move off the bulls eye, even though the scope has not moved.

The scope’s “eye” is not focused at the proper distance. This will also happen if the target is set at a much further distance, say at 300 yards. Another way to look at it is like this: Put a small mark from a pencil on a table, and put an inch or so of water in a clear drinking glass. Hold the glass an inch over the mark and move it around slightly in different directions. Looking down into the glass, watch the dot move in directions other than where it should be. External parallax adjustments, called adjustable objectives, are generally on scopes of more than 10 power, or on scopes that are used at close distances.

Parallax adjustments are made at the objective lens with a rotating dial marked in incremental distances. Recently it has become popular to install parallax adjustments dials on the left side of the turret housing, which is much more convenient and user friendly. This will become even more common.

Let’s talk about objective lens sizes. 40 to 44mm is pretty standard on a medium variable rifle scope. It’s trendy these days to have large objective lenses of 50, 56, or even 75mm. Large objective lenses will only transmit more useable light than smaller ones if they are set at their highest power in the dimmest conditions. The detriment is comfort and ease of eye alignment. Leupold might have something going on with their new VX-L line of scopes that combine a large objective lens with a contoured bottom that doesn’t interfere with your gun barrel, and lets you mount up to a 56mm lens with low rings! The larger 30mm main tubes on some tubes are most useful for allowing for a greater range of elevation adjustments, not greater light transmission. In fact, most 30mm scopes have the same size lenses that are in one inch tubes.
Most scopes are fog proof and waterproof. Most scopes have coated lenses. The coatings are expensive and vary in type, number, and quality. It is very possible to have a scope with single coated lenses to greatly outperform a scope with multicoated lenses. It all depends on the quality of the glass and the coatings. Good quality does not come cheap.

The following are accepted terms for coatings:

• Coated: A single layer on at least one lens surface.
• Fully Coated: A single layer on all air to glass surfaces.
• Multicoated: Multiple layers on at least one lens surface.
• Fully Multicoated: Multiple layers on all air to glass surfaces.

Coatings reduce glare, and loss of light due to reflection. More coatings normally lead to better light transmission and sharper contrast.

Field of view (FOV) is measured in feet at 100 yards. This is the amount of view you see through your scope from right to left at that distance. As magnification is increased, FOV goes down. As magnification is decreased, FOV goes up. For instance, a typical 3X variable scope might have a FOV at 100 yards of a bit over 30 feet, and at 9X, the FOV would be around 14 feet. A larger objective lens diameter will not change these figures.

Good quality scopes are repeatable. That is, if you adjust your windage and elevation dials for point of impact at one setting, then move them around and shoot in different places, often in a square grid, then back to the original place, the point of impact will be the same as it was when you started. Good quality scopes will also move the point of impact when you adjust your dials, without having to “settle in.” That is to say, if you move your elevation dial up three inches, your point of impact should immediately reflect that. Sadly to say, more often than not, lesser quality scopes won’t do this without shooting a few times first, to “settle in” the scope’s internal adjustments. Some people “tap” on their scope with a coin or cartridge case to help this process.

www.huntingscopes.lifetips.com

]]> http://www.tonysoutdoors.com/blog/deer-hunting-tips/scopes/feed 0 http://www.tonysoutdoors.com/blog/deer-hunting-tips/scent-elimination http://www.tonysoutdoors.com/blog/deer-hunting-tips/scent-elimination#comments Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:47:06 +0000 Tony Morris http://www.tonysoutdoors.com/blog/?p=61 In the world of deer hunting, there are several things that could change your hunting success. Scent elimination is a key factor that you need to pay close attention to. First, you need to think about your human odor and ways to control it.

You need to start off with a good shower with a human scent eliminator. Then apply a non scented deodorant to help keep the odor down. When you get to your hunting spot, spray down with a liberal amount of scent eliminating spray. Also you need to think about your clothes. There are several products on the market that will help with your clothes as well as with your human scent.

When you are preparing for your hunt, be extra careful not to get your clothes around anything that will cause your clothes to stink in the deer woods. I would not start cooking a big breakfast before you go into the woods, and if you do, make sure you spray down heavily before you hunt. If you have to stop and get gas on the way to woods, then change your shoes before you get to the gas pumps. You may be very careful not to spill gas out on the ground, but how many other people are not. People don’t understand that their pets are also a big scent problem, whether you wash your pet everyday or once a year, they stink in the woods. If you think about scent in every thing you do, then you will increase your odds in hunting.

Once you wash your clothes, there are several things you can do to keep your clothes scent free. You can put your clothes into a scent tight bag so nothing else gets on your clothes. I’ve also heard of guys putting cedar or pine limbs into their container after they wash their clothes so when they open it up it smells like the cedar or pine.

TIPS FOR SCENT ELIMINATION

1. Always keep in mind a deer’s nose is his #1 sense. You need to find a scent eliminator that works well for you. They are several companies that make good products, so try a few and make sure you use them come hunting season.
2. You should wear a different pair of shoes while driving in to where you hunt and change shoes when you get to there. If you stop for breakfast or stop for gas, you might get that smell on you, so spray down very well before you go into the woods.
3. I know people kill deer every year while smoking, but if you are worried about your scent then remember to spray down before you hunt.
4. Always hunt with the wind in your favor. This will also help you control your scent.
5. Take an extra shirt, if you have a long walk in, so you can change when you get to your hunting spot. This will help keep your scent down and also keep you dry.

Here is a list of Scent Elimination retailers, they are not listed in any specific order.

• www.Wildlife.com
• www.bucksndoes.com
• www.hunterspec.com
• www.scentelimination.net
• www.codebluescents.com
• www.robinsonoutdoors.com
• www.purifymyhunt.com
• www.deaddownwind.com
• www.huntmdown.com
• www.naturesessence.net
• www.primos.com

This time of the year has to be my favorite time of the year. The acorns start falling, the leaves start turning, and deer season is in full swing. It is nice to see the different colors of the leaves this time of the year, and especially when the sun hits them in the afternoon. I love that the temperatures are dropping and it is starting to get to the holidays. And yes, deer are on the move. Where we hunt the rut is coming on pretty soon. We are already seeing scrapes and rubs and a lot of deer movement. Deer hunters all over the country are seeing deer and harvesting some nice bucks and does. They are plans being made to travel, hunting shows being made, and most of all memories being made. I’m hearing stories of deer and guys going out of state and seeing huge deer. At the hunting club I’m in, they are some youth taking their first deer. That is really exciting to see our youth getting involved in our sport.

When you plant summer food plots, they serve several purposes. If you plant corn and soybeans the deer will eat on them early during the summer and later in the year as well. This is a picture of the cornfield that we planted on the club. It is the last weekend of bow season here, or the first day of the youth hunt here in Alabama. I gave up an afternoon of bow hunting to sit and watch this cornfield to see if deer was using it. I ended up seeing four does, so the next morning my nephew and I set in this shooting house hoping to see them again, unfortunately we saw nothing. That’s deer hunting. This cornfield was picked a week later and it really looks good.

In this deer hunting world we live in, the ways to hunt deer are numerous. There are many different blind options on the market to make hunting easier.

Have you ever found a place that you wanted to hunt but there was no tree to get in or a tripod would make you stick out like a sore thumb. How about a ground blind?

If you could hunt a place and never be detected, wouldn’t that be great. When you set up a ground blind you need to put some cover in front of your blind so you will not be detected.

I hunted a ground blind a couple of weeks ago and found it was quiet the experience. The blind was well hidden in the edge of the woods with a lot of cover in front of it.

If you hunted in a wide open field then you could still make a blind so the deer couldn’t see you. Blinds can be used in every hunting situation that you could think of.

Here is a listing of hunting blind retailers. This list is added as a help to our members, these retailers are in no specific order.

• www.ameristep.com
• www.luckyshuntingblinds.com
• www.bossgamesystems.com
• www.groundblind.com
• www.shadowhunterllc.com
• www.realbark.com
• www.huntingblindplans.com
• www.darkwoodsblind.com
• www.triplecrownoutdoor.com
• www.hrbizmall.com
• www.deerblinds.net
• www.scopeblind.com

• www.hawkinshunting.com
• www.whiteoakplantation.com
• www.alabamawhetstoneplantation.com
• www.valleycreekoutdoors.com
• www.watervalleylodge.com
• www.bentcreeklodge.com
• www.blackbeltlodge.com
• www.worldclassoutdoors.com
• www.alariver.com
• www.enon.com
• www.flintcreekhunting.com
• www.huntwithus.net
• www.cedarridgelodge.com
• www.greatsouthernoutdoors.com
• www.masterracklodge.com
• www.rockbridgelodge.com
• www.bearcreekhunting.com
• www.caseyhuntingcamp.com
• www.hamiltonhillsplantation.com
• www.langfordfarms.com
• www.leavellwood.com
• www.muleshoebend.com
• www.pushmatahaplantation.com
• www.selwoodfarm.com
• www.stonehunting.com
• www.westervelt.com
• www.wildcatcreeklodge.com
• www.theroost.com
• www.angelfire.com
• www.acehuntinglodge.com
• www.cedarcreekplantation.com
• www.indiancreeklodge.com
• www.hillranchhunting.com
• www.cottonwoodslodge.com
• www.crosskeyshunting.com
• www.mainlandhunting.com/
• www.oakgrovehuntingpreserve.com
• www.prvlodge.com
• www.wilcoxwebworks.com/pineapplelodge/
• www.popelocke.com
• www.quailvalleyhunting.com
• www.wilcoxblackbelthunting.com
• www.yellowcreekranch.com
• www.pineycreek.net
• www.huntingpineywoods.com
• www.wilcoxwebworks.com/pursleycreek

I believe that it is important to keep youth interested in the outdoors and hunting because in today’s society of video games, mp3 players, and wii – our youth have very little knowledge of the wonderful world of hunting, fishing and outdoor sports. You have to admit that shooting a huge 12 point buck on a computer game does not even begin to compare to taking your first deer in real life. If we keep the youth interested in deer hunting – you will instill in them the benefits of working hard to get your true reward, and that is not some object you can buy off of a shelf. We will also be able to teach them about animal preservation, quality deer management, sportsmanship and just the fun of the hunt.

There are certain truths though that most hunters will agree upon. Some of them are obvious enough, like, being in a camouflage helps hunters stay hidden within gun range. Or movement is the supreme enemy of the turkey hunters. Much more than this, practicing makes your skills as a turkey hunter better. And the excitement of the turkey hunt will hone the hunter’s alertness.

Like any sport, there are certain rules and regulations one must follow, here are some rules you need to remember:

• You will need a turkey hunting permit and a small game hunting license – it is required when hunting wild turkeys. You can only buy one turkey permit each year. If you have filled your limit, you may call for another turkey hunter but you can never bring any fire arm or even a bow.

• Using rifles and hand guns are not allowed. You can only hunt using your bow and arrow, shot guns with shot sizes no larger than number two or smaller than number eight. These are the only weapons for catching wild turkeys.

• And you must fill out the tag which only comes with your permit and attach it to the turkey you shoot straight away.

• Do not disturb hen turkeys or their nests.

• Searching with a dog during spring is not permitted. But you may hunt with it during the fall season.

• You must not use any intensifying device to locate or hunt turkeys during open seasons.

Here are also some tips for a successful and safe turkey hunting season:

• If you will leave your gear and your turkey with another person, make sure to leave the following information for emergency purposes.

1. your name
2. your phone number
3. your address
4. your license hunting number
5. your turkey permit number
6. the 3rd party’s name
7. the 3rd party’s address
8. if necessary, your veterinarian’s name too
9. his or her contact number

• Look for signs of recent wild turkey activities. Locate appropriate calling locations. These signs includes tracks and droppings. Droppings offer positive data that wild turkeys are located in that area. It also indicates the bird’s sex. For gobblers, they have j-shaped, elongated droppings and hair-like feathers known as the beard extended from the breast. The beard is normally three to ten inches long. Most of them have spurs on the lower legs. Beard and spur length tend to increase with age. Some hens also have the beard but only 10 percent of their population contain it. Their head in general are dull gray-blue color, with pink and red coloration. Their breast feathers have a buff or white tip giving the hen it’s attractive and eye catching color.

• Turkeys possess a strong sense of hearing and sharp vision. You should remain unmoving while calling them. A camouflage outfit is also recommended in this kind of hunting hobby. Even hunters wrap their shotguns in camouflage to prevent gun barrel from being detected through their shiny metal.

The tips I read in some of the hunting forums were really effective. One of them was that deer hunting is most effective at dawn or dusk because at this time of a day, the deer is most active. One more was that it is better to find the food source of the animal. You are most likely to trap it there. The third was to find trail marks of land animals. They can give you good idea of the places the animal visits very frequently. Fourth was to build a really good set of notes. Your quest for a hunt can easily weaken your memory. The fifth tip I came across was to keep the body movements to a minimum. Impulsive body actions can easily scare off of the animal. And the most important tip- Be Ready. Hunting is an exercise where a moment of inactiveness can cost you a prey.

The two most visited hunting forums are that of deers and ducks. In Deer hunting forums, you can find information regarding all the different species of deers like Whitetail, Mule, Moose, Elk, etc. In these forums, discussions about the different weapons used for deer hunting are also carried out. Weapons like Bow & Arrow, Rifle, Muzzleloader and Shotgun are taken up. Deer hunting forums are also a good place to sell off your hunting equipment. Here you can directly communicate with the buyer and bargain the rates. No third-party interference at all. You even get a chance to read about the different recipes of the deer. Discussions about different hunting spots also take place.

There are bear & wolf hunting tips and stories with tons of pictures. Duck hunting forums are similar to deer hunting forums. Only difference is that ducks are the topic of discussion in the former. Also you can talk about goose hunting in here. You can even play online hunting games in these forums. They act as a perfect simulator for the actual activity. Photo sharing is a very popular feature of duck hunting forums.

So we can easily see that hunting is no longer just an on-field job. There is a lot which goes in it off-field as well. And this is happening due to the advent of internet. The hunting forums provide an excellent opportunity to expand the fun of hunting. They are also responsible for growing number of local hunters. The e-presence of hunting is all to be seen!

Starting with the basic hunting gear and making sure that it is appropriate is the best first step toward a successful hunting trip. Where safety is concerned, one primary piece of hunting gear is a reliable, high quality flashlight, like and LED tactical torch or professional flashlight.

There are many different aspects that set professional quality hunting flashlights apart from your everyday flashlight. Lesser quality lights use inefficient poor quality incandescent bulbs. For an activity like hunting, LED technology really is the better option. High-intensity LED bulbs give off a brighter, clearer light for greater distances. They also have a much longer bulb and battery life, making them more energy efficient and less expensive to maintain in the long run.

Many professional hunting flashlights also include a variety of different LED light colors to help preserve night vision. With lower quality incandescent flashlights, you will rarely find multiple light functionality. However with professional hunting flashlights there are many options available that include more than one light bulb color within the same flashlight housing. For instance, a professional LED flashlight may include a hyper bright white light, and then a dimmer green or red bulb for use when reading equipment, maps or instructions in the dark. These alternate colors help sustain night vision without creating light noise in the surrounding area. This is a highly important feature for sportsmen looking for versatility in a compact form factor, virtually eliminating the need to carry around multiple light sources.

Many hunting LED flashlights also offer dimming light functions so that hunters can choose the exact light level necessary to complete whatever task. Dimmable bulbs are important for preserving night vision, as well as the ability not to spook nearby animals with overly bright lights. This focusing and dimming of light beams is usually controlled by a simple switch or knob that can be operated with ease using one hand.

Form factor can also play a large role in what separates a professional quality hunting flashlight from a standard flashlight. Sportsmen are usually overrun with the hunting gear that they have to carry. Having a small, durable, and light weight flashlight is highly important. Additionally the flashlight must be easy to grip in all kinds of conditions – hunters may need to operate a flashlight with wet or muddy hands or while wearing bulky gloves.

Lights for hunting don’t always have to take the form of a flashlight or torch. Many hunters will take a sturdy lantern or lamp with them to help bathe a larger area in light, like a base camp area or a kill site. LED lanterns offer the same simple switch capabilities, bright light, and battery efficiency as their flashlight counterparts. Others wear a headlamp or flex light on their head or attached to their vest so that they have a small, powerful light at the ready and still have full use of their hands.

Hunting takes skill. It takes practice. It takes appreciation for nature. It also takes quality equipment. Don’t settle for anything less than the best hunting light available when putting together your hunting fear.

Learn about a hunting system that will immediately…

• actually attract deer regardless of prior success
• develop skills with wickedly easy, almost forgotten hunting fundamentals, all the while honing your senses to think like a deer.
• get immediate results with time honored tactics and develop expert familiarity with the latest hunting technology!

You will also receive a bonus ebook : HUNTING WITH A BOW AND ARROW by Saxton Pope.

Get your copy here!

It was about 6:30 when we saw our first deer. We were hunting in a stand of 15 or 20 year old pines that had been thinned earlier that year. There is a road that goes in front of the shooting house from left to right. Then there is a lane cut in front that runs in a straight line for about 150 yards before it makes a turn, and one that runs behind it for about 130 or 140 yards before it goes up a hill.

This shooting house sits in a pine thicket that was heavily traveled before they thinned the pines. Now it has four shooting lanes, ranging from 60 to 150 yards.

So back to the hunt, about 6:30 we had two does walk out on the lane in front of us at 114 yards. Isaac never had shot at a deer before so I told him if he had a shot on the biggest one to steady up on the shoulder and squeeze the trigger. She hit the ground.

We gave her about 30 minutes before we walked down to see her. In the 30 minutes we saw another 6 to 7 deer, all does except for one small 4 pointer. When we walked up on his doe, we jumped two deer and they run toward another youth hunter that was hunting near us, so we decided to get back in the shooting house.

After about 10 minutes in the stand, the other hunter shot. Then we sit for another 20 minutes and Isaac looked up the road and started saying there was a buck. I turned to look up the road and there was a buck at 107 yards. I looked at the buck with my binoculars and told Isaac if he wanted to shoot him that he needed to steady up on his shoulder and squeeze the trigger.

Down he went. He couldn’t wait 30 minutes before he went to look at this one. We got to him and he was 15” inside spread 6 pointer. This was one heck of first buck.

When we got home to his dad, everybody was as excited as me and Isaac so we took pictures and smeared a little blood on him for tradition and a little future luck.

Isaac’s First Blood Video

]]> http://www.tonysoutdoors.com/blog/deer-hunting-tips/a-doe-and-a-fawn/feed 0 http://www.tonysoutdoors.com/blog/deer-hunting-tips/deer-hunting-tips http://www.tonysoutdoors.com/blog/deer-hunting-tips/deer-hunting-tips#comments Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:00:59 +0000 Tony Morris http://www.tonysoutdoors.com/blog/deer-hunting-tips/deer-hunting-tips 1.

Always carry an extra flashlight.  It’s a bad feeling to be 30 minutes from your truck and your batteries go dead.

2.

Know the land you’re hunting. You can never do to much studying on the land you hunt. Look at topo maps, aerial photos, or regular highway maps. You should know where all land features are on your land so if you get turned around you can at least find a road or your way out.

3.

You should always tell someone where you’re going so they can come look for you if something does happen.

4.

Don’t be afraid to use trail markers such as flagging tape or bright eyes to mark your way in or out. They are very useful.

5.

Don’t leave before legal shooting light is over. Sometimes that is the best time to kill a mature buck.  Those deer don’t get big for dumb. Stay as long as you can, besides, you’ve already been there all afternoon, why not stay till it’s dark.

6.

Check your equipment as often as you can: Before you get to your hunting spot, after you get in your stand for that day, and most importantly, before that trophy shows up.

7.

If you can find heavy cover it will benefit you.  Deer love to get in these places and stay, so maybe you can find some good trails inside the cover, clear some shooting lanes, and hide in their hiding place. Make some trails for the deer to start using inside of the thick cover and you will be surprised that they will use them.

8.

Don’t be afraid to use deer calls.  If you lack confidence, try this. If a deer walks in on you and you decide not to take it, wait till the deer starts walking away and use your call and see how the deer responds to your calling. If the deer don’t spook you can try to use several different calling techniques to see how it acts. Pay attention, while your playing, you might be calling in more deer.

9.

Whatever you do, you must be in the woods. You can’t kill deer if you’re on the couch watching the ballgame. Every opportunity you have you must be in the woods, at least trying.

10.

After you shoot a deer, watch where it goes and try to make a mental picture of the last place you see it. At that point, wait about 30 or 40 minutes before you even go and look for blood.  If you find blood and start trailing, go slow, always look for blood and the deer up ahead of you in case you jump it up.  If you jump the deer, back off, give it a chance to die. Sometimes it may take as long as a day.

11.

While practicing shooting your bow, take all kind of shots so you will be ready for anything that the deer will throw at you. Shoot from the ground at different yardages, shoot at different angles, shoot at different elevations. This will help you so that there is not a shot you have not taken come deer season.

12.

Try to only eliminate as many pins as you can, it will be helpful to you if the deer walks out and your not trying to remember which pin you have use.

13.

Watch the weather! Don’t get caught a long way from your vehicle or cabin without an umbrella or poncho to at least keep you dry until you back.

14.

Scout! Scout! Scout! I can’t emphasize how much you need to do your scouting. Any time you have to get in the woods, the better off you will be. Even if you have 2 hours one afternoon to get out and ride the roads and look for deer crossings, it will help. But try to do most of your scouting early so you don’t spook deer just before you plan on hunting them.

15.

Learn to read a topo map and keep one with you all the time. You never know when you might accidentally need one. Let’s hope you don’t get lost, but if you do you will have a map to get you out of the woods.

16.

If you hunt with a bow, gun, or even a blackpowder gun, you need to practice. Especially bow hunting, there’s a lot that can go wrong while in a stand. Practice a time or two with all your clothes on so you don’t get caught off guard. I have actually been in a tree and draw my bow back on a deer and my head net get twisted.

17.

One very important tip,(this one applies to me) stay in shape enough to get in and out of the woods and get a deer out. Deer hunting is a very physical sport. Walking in and out can be very tiring, depending on where you hunt, but the dragging can be the real challenge.

18.

Don’t be afraid to do a little more walking than other people, so you can get places others won’t go. Pack a lunch so you can stay all day. While everyone else is out moving in the morning and evening, they might spook deer all over you, or that might be when there moving.

19.

This is the age of technology, so carry a GPS, a cell phone, or a two-way radio just in case  you do need help.

     Having a club also can assist management goals. At a club, the club members can set the rules so that the deer that they hunt can be managed. Most public lands are not set up to manage, hunters who hunt public land most often shoot the first legal buck that walks by, and don’t wait to see what is behind those smaller deer. When a certain group of hunters get together and start a hunting club, they can set their own rules. As long as everybody understands the rules to start with, there should not be any problems later on down the road. Once you start a club and get your rules set, you should make every member sign and agree to all rules that the club have set aside. There should be such rules as what kind of bucks the club is going to take, how many does are going to be allowed to take, if the club is going to allow guests, and if guests are going are going to have same rules. Be careful when selecting members so that you make sure that your club starts out with good members and not get stuck with some bad ones. I have been President of two different clubs and have run into people who thought they should have full run of the place. Unfortunately, I have had to set some people straight.

     There are several ways to find land to lease or just get permission to hunt. If you try to get permission you must get out and ask and talk to several people. Try to let these people know that you are going to take care of their land. Many landowners have quit letting hunters access their land because people don’t care enough about others property to take care of it. If you build a strong bond with landowners and show them that you are willing to help them do things around their land then you show them you are going to take care of their land, you will have a friend and possibly a place to hunt for a while. If you are going to lease land, they are several options that you must know. You can call a wildlife biologist, most of the time they will know landowners who might want to lease their land out to hunters. You can also call your local farmers coop and see if they know any farmers who are maybe looking at leasing land. You can also get in touch with local timber companies, most of the time they have pieces of land that they lease out. There is also websites that you can go to and look at different pieces of land and contact these people for hunting rights.

     When you find a piece of land that you want to get for hunting, look at the land to see if it is going to be what you are looking for. See if it has any deer on it, see if it has what deer needs (food, water, cover, etc.), and see if has a good road system so you can access the property. If it has all of these things and you like the land, look to see if the price is affordable enough to start what you are looking for. Once you get your land, you are on your way to a great hunting experience, so take care of the land and you will have a place to hunt for a long time to come. Just remember, the landowner always has the right to revoke your hunting privileges. Good luck on your search and happy hunting. 

Sample Season Hunting Lease

[This form may also serve as a lease for a longer period of time.]
STATE OF ALABAMA
COUNTY OF: ______________________________

This Hunting Lease Agreement is made by an between __________________________ [Landowner] hereinafter called LESSOR and ___________________________ [Hunters or Hunting Club] hereinafter called LESSEES.

GAME TO BE HUNTED AND COMPLIANCE WITH LAW

1. LESSOR does hereby lease to LESSEES, for the purpose of hunting white-tailed deer during the season established and in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of Game and Fish, the following described premises located in ___________________________ County, Alabama:

[Place legal description of property here.]

TERM OF LEASE

2. The term of this lease is for the 19 _____ white-tailed deer season, which season is scheduled to begin on or about the ____________ day of November and ending on or about January 31, 19 _____.

PAYMENT

3. The consideration to be paid by LESSEES to LESSOR at ______________________ County , Alabama, is $ ______________ in cash, one-half of the total to be paid on or before ______________________________, 19 _____ and the balance to be paid on or before __________________________________, 19 _____
Failure to pay the second installment shall thereupon terminate and cancel the lease and the amount already paid shall be forfeited as liquidated damages for the breach of the agreement. If LESSEES default in the performance of any of the covenant or conditions hereof, then such breach shall cause an immediate termination of this lease and a forfeiture to LESSOR of all rentals prepaid. In the event that a lawsuit arises out of or in connection with this lease agreement and the rights of the parties thereof, the prevailing party may recover not only actual damages and costs but also reasonable attorney’s fees expended in the matter.

FORFEITURE

4. In the event any hunter in the hunting club paying consideration for this lease fails to execute the same, then those hunter s executing the agreement shall be deemed as agents for such other hunters and responsible for all obligations hereunder imposed upon each individual member of the party. Violation of any agreement or obligation herein by any member of the hunting club shall cause the lease, at the request of the LESSOR, thereupon to cease and terminate as to the entire group, and all rights granted hereunder will be forfeited.

LESSOR’S USE OF THE PREMISES

5. LESSEES understand and agree that the premises is not leased for agricultural and grazing purposes. LESSOR reserves the right in himself/herself, his/her Agents, Contractors, Employees, Licensees, Assigns, Invitees, or Designees to enter upon any or all of the land at any time for any purpose of cruising, marking, cutting, or removing trees and timber or conducting any other acts relating thereto, and no such use by LESSOR shall constitute a violation of this lease. LESSEES and LESSOR further agree to cooperate so that the respective activities of one will not unduly interfere with the other.

LESSEES’ LIABILITY

6. LESSEES shall take proper care of the lease property, the dwellings, and all other improvements located thereon, and shall be liable to LESSOR for any damage caused to domestic livestock, fences, roads, or other property of LESSOR due to the activities of LESSEES or their guests exercising privileges under this lease.

LESSEES’ INSPECTION PROPERTY

7. LESSEES further state that they have inspected the described property and have found the premises to be in an acceptable condition and hereby waive any right to complain or to recover from LESSOR in the future relating to the condition of the lease property or any improvements located thereon.

INDEMNIFICATION

8. LESSEES agree to protect and defend indemnity and hold LESSOR blameless from any and all liability, loss, damage, personal injury (including death), claims, demands, causes of action of every kind and character, without limit and without regard to the cause or causes thereof or the negligence of any party or parties arising in connection herewith in favor of: 1) any LESSEES hereto; 2) any employees of LESSEES; 3) any business invitees of LESSEES; 4) any guests of LESSEES; and 5) any person who comes to the lease premises with the expressed or implied permission of LESSEES.

[NOTE: This liability release must be on the same page as the signatures, and it is the landowner's responsibility to ensure that each lessee has read and understood its meaning.]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have hereunto caused this Agreement to be properly executed this _____________________ day of _________________, 19 _____.

LESSOR: LESSEES:

1. ___________________________________ _____________________________
2. ___________________________________ _____________________________
3. ___________________________________ _____________________________
4. ___________________________________ _____________________________
5. ___________________________________ _____________________________
6. ___________________________________ _____________________________

[NOTE: If the hunting group is not incorporated, each member should sign the lease agreement.]

     The whitetail deer starts it life as a spotted fawn, or as I call it a yearling. From the time they are yearlings they go through a pretty tough life. They have to beat the odds against coyotes, bobcats, and later on, deer hunters. Even with all of these challenges, the whitetail still seems to thrive, which is all right with me. When a doe reaches 1 ½ years of age she is able to breed. An adult doe can have either one, two, or on rare occasion three babies. A doe usually has to reach 2 ½ years old before she will start having more than one fawn. If a doe gets plenty of nutrition early in life and even during her adult years, the chances of her having more than one fawn get better. As a buck grows, it will also face many challenges. For many years deer hunters have shot the first buck that walked by. Now there’s a lot of deer hunter’s starting to let the smaller bucks walk hoping to see something bigger. There’s several clubs in Alabama starting to go to Quality Deer Management, which I think is the way of the future. Actually, Alabama is starting to implement rules that only let hunters take 3 bucks a season, one of which has to be 4 points on one side and must at least measure 1 inch long. This will allow bucks to get to the age of 3 ½ or older. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve took my share of smaller bucks but now I’m starting to see the benefits of letting the smaller deer walk.

    Whitetail deer have several different varieties of food they eat. When planting food plots there is a variety of seed and food supplement choices to choose from and many different ways to make the food source better for the deer. For example, honeysuckle starts greening up in early spring, so what you can do to better the growth of the plants is in February start fertilizing all of your honeysuckle patches. This will boost your protein level in your plants. This will also help draw deer in to your spot in the fall. A whitetail needs certain protein levels to supplement their needs. A doe needs high protein levels to help boost the lactation during her pregnancy and after the fawn is born. A buck needs high protein levels to boost his bone structure and help him grow larger antlers. The buck’s antlers are growing as soon as his antlers shed in the spring. The antlers grow up until the time the velvet sheds off during early fall. A buck will start making rubs when his antlers shed.

     Whitetails go through several stages in its life, starting as a fawn. First it will barely be able to walk, but before the end of the summer it will act just like an adult deer. Then as it grows up it will start getting its senses built up. It will start recognizing its predators and learn what to do when it encounters one. Once hunting season opens the deer will have learned a lot about people, coyotes, or other predators. Bucks will start getting very keen and very weary about everything. This is what makes deer hunting so hard.

     There are many ways to hunt deer in Alabama. As you may know, deer are a very complicated animal, so let’s figure them out. First thing is to find out where you are going to hunt, whether it is public land, a hunting club, or someone’s private land. Once you locate the place you’re going to hunt, the scouting begins. You need to plan a day that you can get out and do some walking and looking. You need to find all kind of deer sign, deer trails, food sources, bedding areas etc. Once you start finding your sign, you can put your clues together. Walk your deer trails and see where they go. As you find trails going from your food source to your bedding areas, you have located a place to start. Closer to season you might start finding rubs and scrapes in the areas that you looked at earlier, you may want to pay close attention to this in the coming weeks. Walk the edge of your food source and see if you can find trails coming in and out of it. Often if you find trails coming out of your food source, you might backtrack and find out where their coming from. Once season starts, you can do some lunch time scouting as well. But my advice is to have all of your scouting done before season starts so you can strictly concentrate on hunting once season opens.

1.   Tree stand placement is also a very important part of your hunting experience. They are a lot of factors that affect where you set up your stand. First is, what kind of stand are you going you use? You can use either a portable stand or a fixed stand. When I say a portable stand I mean a climbing stand and when I say a fixed stand I really mean several versions of fixed stands; lock-on, ladder stands, tripod, shooting houses, or ground blinds. All of these take the same general knowledge. If you’re going to be hanging stands or climbing a portable stand, always think about safety. Every thing you do in the outdoors, you have to think about safety. Before season starts decide what kind of hunting you are going to do. If you are going to climb a portable stand, they are many variations on the market. Look around and see if any catch your eyes, if there is any that do, ask the vendors if they can show you how they work. Most vendors will be happy to help you in any way that they can because if they don’t you can always buy from someone else, they don’t want that. Second factor once you have your stand is the stand location. You have already done your scouting and found your best place to start, so now either you’re going to set up on trails, a food source, a bedding area, or rubs and scrapes. If you have your location picked out, look to see if there is a tree in the area. After you find a tree, see which way the wind is blowing and set up on the downwind side of your location.

2.  Tree stand safety is also a very important factor in your hunting. Tree stand accidents are the number one hunting accident. If you are going to climb a stand of any sort, please be careful. There are so many tree stand harnesses on the market that it will be easy to find one that you like. Even if you’re going to hang a stand during the summer, you must wear safety equipment. While hanging a lock-on, it is nice to use a harness so that you can use both hands to set your stand. If you use a climbing stand, use a safety harness so you don’t fall. All of our families want us to come home, so anytime you do anything in the outdoors, remember to think safety.

3.  I prefer to use a climbing stand so I can change the area that I hunt everyday if I want. I will take my stand to several different places during the year. I also like to use ladder stands or tripods so I can hunt certain places and I don’t have to take my stand in every time. I will use a ladder stand or a tripod in a place where you can’t hang a lock-on or climbing stand, for example, a cut-over or pine plantation. These are places that you can slip into and not make any noise, and hopefully catch deer moving around. Be careful when you’re setting these stands, if you ever get busted hunting one of these stands, the deer will start looking at these stands every time that they move through. This is why I like to use climbing stands, if the deer ever bust you, change your location and the deer will not figure you out.

4.  There is also another aspect of hunting that no one thinks about; Equipment maintenance. All through the spring and summer months you need to make adjustments so that you don’t have to do this during deer season. There are things you need to do like ATV, tractor, and automobile maintenance. Also you need to check all of your hunting equipment. Make sure your rifles are sighted in, your archery equipment is ready, you have sighted in your black powder gun, and you have practiced with all of these. You also need to check your stands so there are no broken parts, if you’re using older stands like me. It will also help to make sure that your flashlights are ready, new batteries, etc. Also I would check all my clothes and boots so that you don’t have to do anything during season. 

     Corn is a likely consideration. Corn is attractive to deer, there is no doubt about it, especially so during the winter when high-energy carbohydrates are needed most. But, if you believe people (and deer) should actually benefit from what they eat, summertime corn is not a good food source. It is deer candy, junk food that’s high in sweets and low in protein. Yet, despite the negatives, corn is a strong winter attractor and can improve your late season hunting. It has to be considered if your hunting area has a moderate to low deer density and is already rich in other agricultural food sources. For that reason, we’ll keep it on the list of possible choices. Hunting over a corn field is pretty fun because know the deer are going to pile out on you while you are hunting. 

     Grain sorghum (often called Milo) has been promoted for upland bird habitat, but it is also an effective food source for deer. It has two positive points and two negative points. On the upside, the grain heads are well utilized throughout the fall, but the plant itself is not touched during the summer, regardless of deer density. This all but guarantees a crop come fall. Also, sorghum is a more resilient plant than corn and will compete well with weeds and still produce heads. It grows well even during fairly dry summers. However, on the downside, once deer get used to eating Milo they will eat the heads to the stem just as soon as the seeds reach the “dough stage”. This is the point when the seeds take shape but haven’t dried down – typically in September. The first year or two of a sorghum planting program in this setting will produce the desired result – late fall and winter food – but after that you may only be producing early fall food for consumption at a time when deer could (and should) still be eating legumes and other protein-rich foods. As another negative, sorghum is less desirable than corn as a winter carbohydrate source. Therefore, it can’t be counted on to bring deer running when the mercury drops the way corn can. In areas with lower deer densities where both can be grown effectively, corn is better. Sorghum has a place in a larger management program but for our five-acres it doesn’t make the cut.

     Winter wheat, rye or triticale are used heavily in many southern food plot programs where heavy deer densities and dry summer conditions make other fall and winter food sources less dependable. You’ve no doubt heard the expression green field when referring to southern deer hunting strategies. Green fields are typically some combination of winter grains with a little clover thrown in. Because winter grains are planted in the fall they take advantage of a time when most areas of the country receive consistent seasonal rainfall, making this crop a good choice in otherwise dry areas. With sufficient moisture winter grains grow fast and can be utilized by deer within a few weeks of planting. They also stay green well into the winter and are very resistant to frost. In the spring they are the first plant to green up, so they are an important early food for deer looking to repair after a hard winter. However, as an all-purpose deer food source, winter grains fall short. They quickly become tough and unpalatable as spring wears on. Because winter grains are effective in certain conditions when nothing else is, they stay on the list of possible options.

     Alfalfa is an excellent source of protein. In fact, there is nothing readily available that produces more crude protein than high quality alfalfa. Deer will hammer it all summer and for as long as the plant remains nutritious into the fall. They will also start on it as early as possible in the spring. Also, a properly maintained alfalfa plot will last up to seven years and is fairly drought tolerant. Alfalfa also has downsides. First, alfalfa is primarily a summer food source. It turns brown quickly after the first hard frost and will be utilized less by deer thereafter. Also, it doesn’t green-up as quickly in the spring as winter grains or even clover, so it isn’t of much benefit during periods of high stress. Second, alfalfa can be tough to establish and maintain. The soil needs to be well drained or the crop will quickly flood out. Also, alfalfa is expensive to establish. You need to plan on liming, fertilizing and paying top dollar for high protein varieties. You’re probably looking at well over $100 per acre even if you do the work, more if you don’t. While this may not seem so bad when you figure the cost over the life of the field, don’t forget annual fertilizer expenses that add about $30 per acre.

     Clover is considered by many to be the most universal deer food and the reputation is not without merit. Clover is easy to establish in most regions of the country and most soil types. It is easy to maintain with two cuttings per summer and will fight through residue much better than alfalfa so you don’t necessarily have to bale it. But clover has a downside. First it doesn’t last as many years as alfalfa. Three years is pretty typical for a clover plot before it is overtaken by grass. Second, clover isn’t as viable as alfalfa from a commercial standpoint because it yields less and isn’t as marketable. Also, clover flattens and loses its attractiveness for deer (not to mention its food value) after the weather turns cold. In fact, the first killing frost puts clover into a dormant stage when much of the nutritional value is gone. So clover is not a great late fall and winter planting in areas that typically experience hard frosts by the end of October.  

    There is little you can plant that draws bucks during the summer like soybeans. Beans provide plenty of protein, but the plants must also taste good because they often outdraw nearby clover that is even higher in protein. Soybeans are also good at extracting minerals from the soil that are then utilized by deer. Also, during the summer the deer only eat the leaves. Soybeans are resilient plants that can take a lot of this kind of grazing pressure and still put out pods. And, when the beans in the pods dry down, deer will feed on them heavily during the fall and winter. Soybeans are also fairly easy to establish and are reasonably drought tolerant. As a perfect food plot planting, beans have two downsides. First, they won’t yield as many tons of food per acre as alfalfa or even clover. Second, the plants are vulnerable when young. The growing point is above ground and if deer or turkeys snip off the plant at the two-leaf stage it won’t grow back. Ideally, beans should be planted early enough to get past the deer while the does are fawning. Also, with the advent of Round-Up Ready beans you can plant into residue and let the growing weeds hide your beans until the young plants are well past this critical stage. Then you can simply spray the field and wipe out the competition.

     There are many different cultivars of brassicas. Heck, the broccoli you eat with your soup is one of them. When it comes to deer food there are only about two or three that really stand out. First, are Purple Top turnips, commonly called forage turnips in many places. Deer love turnips and will eat the leaves and the tubers. Typically, turnips are recommended for areas with high deer densities where they will eat all the fall foods during the summer. However, they tend to let turnips (and other brassicas) survive until the first hard freeze when a molecular change occurs within the plant to make the leaves more palatable. The second type of brassica to consider is dwarf Essex rape. This is a plant with big leaves that deer will feed heavily on after the first hard freeze and into the winter. Finally, a third choice is Tyfon or forage brassica. Cattle growers commonly use this plant because of its high yield and high protein content. There are also many commercial blends of brassicas offered by food plot companies and some of their selections are very highly evolved. I wouldn’t tell you that the standard product you get from the local co-op or from the online seed merchant is just as good as the specialized varieties offered by the food plot companies, but they will definitely work. Deer will come to them and deer will eat them. This planting will provide very high nutrition during the fall and winter. The advantage of brassicas is the fact that deer generally will leave them alone until the onset of colder weather at which time the plot will become very attractive. Brassicas, in general, are also cheaper to plant than typical food plot grain options as corn and soybeans.

     Chicory is a cool-season perennial herb that grows long, broad leaves that resemble those of dandelion or common plants. It produces abundant spring and summer forage that is highly preferred by deer. When managed properly, the nutritional value of chicory can be higher than that of alfalfa. Protein content of young plants can be as high as 32% and the leaves are between 90% and 95% digestible. A properly maintained chicory stand can last up to seven years. Chicory develops a deep taproot so it is very drought tolerant and will stay green and palatable in summer, a time when other cool-season forages such as clovers decline in quality. Best growth is achieved on well drained to moderately drained soils with medium to high fertility. It will tolerate PH as low as 4.5 but grows best when PH is between 6.0 and 7.0. Chicory does best when planted in the spring. Spring and early summer plantings of chicory will survive cold winter temperatures. Chicory should be mowed periodically so that it doesn’t develop the flower stalk. These stalks are low in quality and will result in an overall decrease in the amount of forage the plants produce. If the deer aren’t keeping it eat down, then you should mow about once a month. You should plant chicory with other cool season legumes such as clovers or birds foot trefoil. The legumes will provide extra forage for deer and will supply nitrogen to the chicory.

     Austrian winter peas are a cool season annual legume that is highly preferred by deer. It is high quality forage and protein content ranges from 14% to 20%. It begins growing very early in the spring and can be one of the earliest forages on your food plot. As a result, it can be especially important to help deer recover from winter conditions. They grow best on well drained loam or sandy loam with a PH near 7.0. Winter peas are best suited for warm climates; they will not tolerate extreme winter temperatures and they are not suitable for northern climates.

     Some things you can consider about food plots are that they are annual and perennial food plot choices. Annual seeds usually have to be planted every year but sometimes will come back the next year. Annual food plots can be inexpensive but be very beneficial to your food sources. Perennial seeds come back year after year without having to reseed every year. Perennial food plots can be sometimes expensive up front, but offer higher protein levels over a longer period of time. Some of your annual choices are; annual ryegrass, Austrian winter peas, Annual clovers,(arrowleaf, berseem, crimson, rose, and subterranean) Sweetclover, Vetch,(bigflower, common, and hairy) Brassicas,(rape, kale, and turnips) and Cereal  grains(oats, rye, and wheat). You can mix any of these to make your own deer mix, or you can buy an already mixed seed. Your perennial seed choices may be; Perennial ryegrass, Alfalfa, Birdsfoot trefoil, Perennial clovers,(alsike, red, or white ladino) and Chicory. Some of your warm season annuals are; Corn, Sorghum, American jointvetch, Alyceclover, Cowpeas,(iron/clay peas or catjang peas) Lablab beans, or Soybeans.

     Many areas of the country lack specific minerals and nutrients that can be provided by planting certain types of plants. Biologists also know that throughout the year bucks, does and fawns have very different nutritional needs and certain plant preferences. So, how do hunters improve a deer’s nutritional health? The first method is the enhancement or fertilization of native plants. The second is the establishment of food plots.

     Since most hunters don’t have access to mechanized farm equipment, the non-planting method of management is probably the most universal. In other words, anyone can improve the nutritional value of an area by simply broadcasting, by hand, a pelletized fertilizer over native plants during the late fall / early winter time frame. Fertilization is usually done in the spring prior to green-up. Another application of fertilizer approximately 1 to 2 months later can further enhance a plant’s ability to convert nitrogen into protein. With the use of fertilizers, you can create “secret food plots” that can be established without anyone knowing the exact location, except you and the deer. When you fertilize specific plants that bare hard or soft mast in the fall, the end result is more, better-tasting and larger-sized fruit. Fertilization of fruit-bearing trees or shrubs such may be the best deer hunting technique you have ever seen. Depending on the pH of your soil, liming may also help the plants in your area. In many areas liming and fertilizing go hand-in-hand with little associated costs or labor.

     How do you determine the pH or amount of fertilizer you should use? Simply contact your local Soil Conservation Service (note, they changed their name to the Natural Resources Conservation Service) or check with your County’s soil map. You will find these people to be a great source of information. In fact their information is priceless to any deer manager or hunter interested in improving a deer herd. I have often used their expertise in finding new hunting areas and acquiring aerial photographs. Since water conditions change from one year to the next (droughts versus flooding), combination planting virtually ensures something will grow. Interestingly enough, research has shown whenever annual rainfall drops below 30 inches, the benefit of food plots is likely to decrease.

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Have you ever been in a shooting house and it is too tight to move around in? So have I. So I decided to build a shooting house that my wife and I, or my nephew and I could get in. As luck would have it, that is where my nephew and I sat during the youth hunt of 2007-2008 deer season.

I built this shooting house and I have gotten many compliments on it during deer season and now it is jokingly called the “PENTHOUSE”.

I built it 4′x8′ and then put it 10′ in the air on 4″x4″ post with a set of steps going up to it. It has an 8′x8′ roof so it will take a huge wind to blow rain in on it. This is one stand that you can take a video crew in and have plenty of room to move around in.

Hopefully this deer season I will get some good footage out of it and share some great hunts with you. I will definitely be there with my nephew on the youth hunt again in a couple of weeks.

A successful QDM program requires an increased knowledge of deer biology and active participation in management. This level of involvement extends the role of the hunter from mere consumer to manager. The progression from education to understanding, and finally, to respect; bestows an ethical obligation upon the hunter to practice sound deer management. Consequently, to an increasing number of landowners and hunters, QDM is a desirable alternative to traditional management, which allows the harvest of any legal buck and few, if any, does.

QDM guidelines are formulated according to property-specific objectives, goals, and limitations. Participating hunters enjoy both the tangible and intangible benefits of this approach. Pleasure can be derived from each hunting experience, regardless if a shot is fired. What is important is the chance to interact with a well-managed deer herd that is in balance with its habitat. A side benefit is the knowledge that mature bucks are present in the herd – something lacking on many areas under traditional deer management. When a quality buck is taken on a QDM area, the pride can be shared by all property hunters because it was they who produced it by allowing it to reach the older age classes which are necessary for large bodies and antlers.

     Once I was hunting Barbour County Management Area and I had a guy walk up on me at 7:30 in the morning. Well, when he got within 100 yards I started whistling and waving my orange hat, trying to get him to see me. I think all that did was encourage him to climb a tree. As he climbed up to about 20 feet I was still whistling and waving my orange hat, but nothing seemed to worked. He got situated and he was facing me so I kept waving my hat, still no success. So I just decided to let him hunt and mind my own business. It was not 10 minutes till I looked over to see my late bloomer with his head down and what looked to be asleep. So I took out my rattle bag and grunt call and decided to have a little fun. I started grunting, but it did not seem to awake him, so I hit the rattle bag together pretty hard. He awoke, jumped up just like he had heard two trophy whitetails locked up and looked around to see where the commotion had come from. I took my orange hat and started waving it again but still nothing. He sat back down after a few minutes of searching for his record book bucks and, low and behold, fell back asleep. So me being the nice guy that I am, let him go back to sleep. After about 20 minutes this time I started grunting and rattling again and yes, he jumped up, threw his rifle up thinking he was about to shoot the next state record, but it was just me. Again I started waving my orange hat trying to get him to see me but he did not. So I decided with all the grunting and rattling I had been doing and not seeing no deer, I decided I had enough fun for one day, so I climbed down and went back to the truck. The hunter across the woods from me never knew that I was in the same woods as him. He probably told one heck of a story when he got back with his friends.

    I was hunting public land in Georgia, and actually had a guy walk up on me carrying a 5 gallon bucket and a crossbow. Well, he walked up to about 50 yards and sit down on his bucket and started grunting. He sat there for 5 minutes and got up and left.

    So that is some of my bad stories about hunting public land but I also have several good stories so don’t let my stories bother you. I told those stories just to let you know that there are other people in the woods with you, so please be careful.