Hunting 101

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Texas Hunter

When you are getting ready for a day in the field, regardless of whether you are going to be hunting locally or if you are going to be hunting remotely, it is important to make sure that you are prepared properly. This is important, not only for your personal comfort but also because it can make a difference in how successful the hunt is that you are going to have on that day. Since there are many things that need to be considered, it is a good idea for you to have a checklist of the more important items that you will want to include. You should also keep in mind that a successful hunt does not start with tracking on the day before the hunt. In many cases, it comes from knowing what is going on in the area as well as the habits of the game that you are hunting.

Perhaps it would be better if we started at the beginning, looking at some of the things that can be done long before the hunt actually occurs. You would want to make sure that you were scouting the area, not only to learn the habits of the animals that are in the area, but to learn what types of animals are in the area as well. For that, you may need a game camera, as this is a very convenient way for you to be able to keep an eye on the area, even if you are not in the area. There are several different choices as far as a game camera is concerned, but you would want to go with something that was high-quality, such as one by Moultrie or a similar company. The last thing that you would want to have happen is to have the camera fail or to have other problems, which could waste a considerable amount of time.

You should also consider the type of materials that are going to be taken along with you on the hunt. For example, you would want to have items that were specific to the weather in the area, as well as any gadgets that will help you along the way. Along with these, you would want to have the right type of pack in order to carry all of the gear. At times, it may actually take more than one pack, but a well-equipped hunter is often a successful hunter.

Finally, you would want to consider the type of conditions where you will be hunting. For example, you may want to try a tree stand so that you can get above the surface and have a better vantage point. If you are going to be hunting on the ground, you may want to consider one of the archery blinds by Double Bull. This can make you practically invisible and give you a better opportunity to really get near to the game that you will be hunting. Of course, in either of these cases, you would want to make sure of local regulations, as they are generally governed by the state. But if you are able to use one of these items, you will find that it really can help to boost your success rate.

Brandon Ponting is the author of this article about hunting equipment such as the Moultrie game camera and double bull blinds. He has been hunting for over 20 years and owns a business offering hunting equipment.

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    Using Food Plots to Pull in Deer to Your Hunting Property

    Posted on March 30, 2012 by Texas Hunter

    If you’ve ever sat in your tree stand for days on end without seeing or hearing a deer on your hunting property, there’s no question that you were wondering why. When all other indicators say you should have deer but you don’t, you’ve only got one problem: one of your neighbors has food plots on their land and you don’t. Food plots attract deer by offering them the things they want most: good food and a chance to mate thanks to proximity to other deer. Food plots are simply irresistible.

    Picking Your Plot

    To decide what part or parts of your hunting property you want to use as food plots, there are a few things you want to remember. Try to keep your plots in the interior of your property. You want to pull deer in and keep them in, not encourage them to leave when they’re done eating. Try to keep the plots away from roads. Food plots near roads are dangerous to deer and drivers alike. Also try to find areas that will involve minimal removal of large trees and rocks; removing these is expensive and time consuming.

    Soil Quality

    When you pick your plot, you need to be certain that it is hospitable to the foods you want to grow. Check the plot for sandy or clay soil; these can both put a damper on your plans. Check the soil’s pH levels to understand what the soil needs to grow the food you want to plant. Consider the plot’s elevation and slope. Lower land is more fertile than higher land. Sloped land is more likely to have erosion issues than flat land. Soil fertility and soil erosion can make it more expensive and more difficult to get a good food plot started.

    Use Nutrition to Your Advantage

    Like all living things, deer have seasonal nutrition needs. In summer, they need more protein for the does to produce milk and for the bucks to produce their massive antlers. In the winter, they need high-energy, high-carbohydrate foods to ensure they’ll survive the freezing cold. Using your knowledge of deer’s nutritional needs, you can encourage deer to frequent your hunting property by offering them the food their bodies crave.

    Ideal Foods

    Foods that flourish during summer and offer great protein are often legumes. Try planting clover, alfalfa, peas, or soybeans for ideal summertime deer feed. If your plot is in an area with particularly stubborn weeds, you may do well to shell out the extra money for Round-Up resistant soybeans. For winter food, corn is, by far, the best deer magnet. However, deer will also gladly gobble up sorghum, winter wheat, triticale, and winter rye.

    Serious hunters benefit greatly from offering needed food to the deer they hunt. By allowing deer access to the best possible nutrition, you let them grow to their full potential, which means you’ll bag your bucks at peak condition. Putting a little effort into creating a food plot will ensure you have a fantastic hunting property both now and for years to come.

    Spook Spann is a professional hunter from the popular hunting show Spook Nation TV and the owner of Spook Nation Farms, a collection of Spann’s personally selected and managed hunting land for sale. Each hunting property has been carefully managed by Spook Spann himself to maximize animal genetics and create an optimal environment for hunting, and many of the properties have been featured on Spook Nation TV.

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      Food Plot Strategies 101 for New Properties

      Posted on March 28, 2012 by Texas Hunter

      One of the first things you may want to consider once you’ve acquired a new hunting property is setting up a series of food plots. Food plots are an excellent way to pull deer into your property and to encourage them to reach their full genetic potential. The better fed your deer are, the bigger your bucks will be. Additionally, your does will be healthier and produce twins more often.

      Picking a Plot

      When picking a plot, there are three things you need to consider: location, soil, and your hunting style.

      • For your location, you want plots in the middle of your property, preferably as far away from roads as possible. This both brings deer in to your property and helps ensure they’re safer from outside dangers like cars.
      • For your plot’s soil, you want to use your good senses and pick soil that is neither too sandy nor too filled with clay. If you can easily dig a hole and do not see a lot of sand, you will probably be able to grow feed on the plot. Ensure you obtain proper soil samples to help you determine needed nutrients for your seeds.
      • For your hunting style, consider the range of your weapon. You want to be able to cover the entire plot with your weapon of choice, so shape your plots accordingly.

      Soil

      Once you’ve figured out an area where you’d like to have a food plot, you need to take a soil sample and have it tested. Testing will tell you many things about the soil, including what it needs to make it ideal for growing your deer feed. There are a number of ways to obtain soil samples results one being your local agricultural extension office.

      Round-Up

      Now that you’ve got your plot and have learned that the soil is appropriate for growing deer feed, Round-Up is your best friend. Round-Up makes short work of a plot filled with weeds and brush, meaning you can start your feed growing much more quickly than you would if you tried to eradicate the weeds from your plot in any other way. Once everything is dead and you’ve cleared it away, you’re ready to start planting.

      Summer and Winter Foods

      The nutritional needs of deer vary by season, so you want to make sure that you’re tending to those needs with different food varieties. In Summer, deer need foods which are high in protein for max antler growth. Some of their summertime favorites are clover, alfalfa, and soybeans. In Winter, they require high carbohydrate foods, making food like corn, sorghum, and winter wheat big draws.

      Maintenance

      To make sure your efforts are rewarded with a well-growing feed plot, you need to make sure you put in a bit more effort and maintain the plot. Check it often for weeds and remove the weeds on sight. Consider putting up low fences to keep livestock out but still let fawns in. Test the soil for nutritional depletion to make sure your feed will be as healthy as it can be. Fertilize and water the plots when needed.

      Once you have a nicely growing food plot, you will enjoy the benefits for years to come. Starting your plots can be difficult and costly, but maintaining and ensuring new growth each year becomes easier and easier the longer you support the food plot. You won’t regret a second of your effort when you’re up in your tree stand, breathlessly staring at a monster buck that grew big from eating on your plots.

      Spook Spann is a professional hunter from the popular hunting show Spook Nation TV and the owner of Spook Nation Farms, a collection of Spann’s personally selected and managed hunting land for sale. Each hunting property has been carefully managed by Spook Spann himself to maximize animal genetics and create an optimal environment for hunting, and many of the properties have been featured on Spook Nation TV.

      Article Source:
      http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Spook_Spann


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