I was down at the farm today so we could finish up some brush hoggin'. However, one of the blades broke on the brush hog which required some welding repairs by Dad. While I was at the farm I hung another stand. Your probably thinking, do you really need a 19th stand on one farm?
No, that is probably too many stands for 300 acres but I want to be ready for anything this season. I want to be able to ambush the deer from anywhere. I previously hung a stand in this general location a couple of years ago during December but I didn't see much activity on the two sits. However, Dad thought we should make sure that we didn't need to hunt the area. So, I had placed a trail camera on an old logging road a couple of weeks ago. To my surprise we found that deer were really using the area. With 130 deer pictures on the camera in only a week (sorry no big bucks), I decided to scout the area more thoroughly, finding a couple of hidden deer trails. So today, I threw up another stand in the area to hunt this fall. It will be perfect for a west wind and is only 100 yards away from one of our food plots.
That reminds me of the whole point of this post. I checked our recently planted food plots today (planted 11 days ago) and found them coming up nicely. We received the rain we needed approximately 4 days after planting. I can't wait until the end of the month to see their progress.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
(A) 14 Step Season Prep: Step 13- Pre-Season Scouting
Do you have a spotting scope? I would guess that most of you do not. The majority of Midwest hunters don't own one but if you hunt out west, or in western Kansas, I would venture to say that you probably do own a spotting scope. You might be asking yourself, why do we need a spotting scope if we are not hunting out west? Well, you don't. I don't own one either, however, I know I should. Let me explain my thought process and the advantages of a spotting scope.
It is the first week of September. We are only 3 weeks out from opening day in Kansas and 2 weeks out from opening day in Missouri. If you like to hunt early season, when the weather is still warm and the days are long, then it is time to get to work. Early season deer hunting takes a slightly different approach than hunting the rut. There are positives and negatives to deal with.
Let's start with the negatives. It is hot and difficult not to sweat walking to your stand. When the air is warm it also becomes much more difficult to control your human scent (it doesn't rise as quickly as a cold day). The bugs can drive you crazy this time of year and it is hard to see very far in the woods because the vegetation is thick. Now let's move to the positives. The deer are feeding heavily and are fairly predictable on their eating patterns. The bucks are in bachelor groups which means you may see a couple of shooters together. Their racks have just come out of velvet so they are shiny, clean and not busted up yet. The temperatures are warm so you won't be wearing bulky clothing and you aren't going to freeze out like a December hunt. The bucks should not have any hunting pressure on them and are probably bedded within close proximity to the major food sources or a water source.
By doing some pre-season scouting, you can get on these early season bucks. I try to hang observation stands prior to the season starting. These stands are strategically located to keep intrusion down to a minimum while being in a position to see where mature bucks are coming out into the fields to feed. Try to get into these positions at daybreak or sunset. This is where the spotting scope comes into play. High quality binoculars will work too but a spotting scope can really zoom in on the make up of a particular deer's rack. You should be able to get a good idea where bucks are entering and exiting the fields. This will also give you the opportunity to confirm the buck inventory of your hunting property (supported by your trail cameras).
Observatory stands, hay bails, and old country roads are great for scouting prior to the season opening. Ensure that you don't put any pressure on the deer during your pre-season scouting. The season is almost here and we don't want to tip the deer off that our favorite time of year has almost arrived.
Once the season has started, if you are having a hard time getting on a buck, try your pre-season scouting techniques at first light in the morning. Once you locate the buck you are after, quietly set up a stand inside the wood line where he left the field (getting between the food source and the bucks bedding area for the evening hunt). Chances are he will come walking by you if the wind is right in the evening. This year I am going to have a spotting scope for pre-season scouting, even if I have to borrow one! Good hunting and make sure you are shooting that bow a couple of times each week.
One last thing, take a kid hunting or fishing in the next couple of months (you have heard me say this before). It is just so awesome to see the positive impact on them.
It is the first week of September. We are only 3 weeks out from opening day in Kansas and 2 weeks out from opening day in Missouri. If you like to hunt early season, when the weather is still warm and the days are long, then it is time to get to work. Early season deer hunting takes a slightly different approach than hunting the rut. There are positives and negatives to deal with.
Let's start with the negatives. It is hot and difficult not to sweat walking to your stand. When the air is warm it also becomes much more difficult to control your human scent (it doesn't rise as quickly as a cold day). The bugs can drive you crazy this time of year and it is hard to see very far in the woods because the vegetation is thick. Now let's move to the positives. The deer are feeding heavily and are fairly predictable on their eating patterns. The bucks are in bachelor groups which means you may see a couple of shooters together. Their racks have just come out of velvet so they are shiny, clean and not busted up yet. The temperatures are warm so you won't be wearing bulky clothing and you aren't going to freeze out like a December hunt. The bucks should not have any hunting pressure on them and are probably bedded within close proximity to the major food sources or a water source.
By doing some pre-season scouting, you can get on these early season bucks. I try to hang observation stands prior to the season starting. These stands are strategically located to keep intrusion down to a minimum while being in a position to see where mature bucks are coming out into the fields to feed. Try to get into these positions at daybreak or sunset. This is where the spotting scope comes into play. High quality binoculars will work too but a spotting scope can really zoom in on the make up of a particular deer's rack. You should be able to get a good idea where bucks are entering and exiting the fields. This will also give you the opportunity to confirm the buck inventory of your hunting property (supported by your trail cameras).
Observatory stands, hay bails, and old country roads are great for scouting prior to the season opening. Ensure that you don't put any pressure on the deer during your pre-season scouting. The season is almost here and we don't want to tip the deer off that our favorite time of year has almost arrived.
Once the season has started, if you are having a hard time getting on a buck, try your pre-season scouting techniques at first light in the morning. Once you locate the buck you are after, quietly set up a stand inside the wood line where he left the field (getting between the food source and the bucks bedding area for the evening hunt). Chances are he will come walking by you if the wind is right in the evening. This year I am going to have a spotting scope for pre-season scouting, even if I have to borrow one! Good hunting and make sure you are shooting that bow a couple of times each week.
One last thing, take a kid hunting or fishing in the next couple of months (you have heard me say this before). It is just so awesome to see the positive impact on them.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
(P) Fall Food Plots are Finished and Buck Pictures
We finally headed to the farm and finished planting our 4 fields of food plots today. I even had enough time at the end of the day to hang 2 more stands. Dad plowed all of the fields last weekend. So today he disced them while I fertilized each field and broadcast the seed. Dad is a lot older than I am, but I say he can still out work me.
The first field we worked on was a small 1 acre food plot in the middle of the woods, located to the west of a bedding area that we constructed this winter. We planted Imperial Whitetail Clover in the whole thing. This should produce for us over the next 4 years if we continue to fertilize the clover twice a year.
The second field borders CRP grass to the south. We planted 1/2 acre of Whitetail Institutes Pure Attraction and 3/4 of an acre of winter wheat. We planted them next to each other in long strips approximately 30 yards wide.
The third field and forth field were planted in 1/2 acre of Whitetail Institutes Pure Attraction. The deer hammered this stuff last year all season long. We used extra fertilizer this year to make sure it came up strong and fast.
It sure feels good to be done with the food plots. All we have left is to finish some brush hogging, cut the existing clover fields next month, and hang a couple more stands. We will definitely be ready for opening day. All we need is the rain that was promised to arrive in 4 days. Time to start shooting the bows and preparing them for broadheads next week.
Here are a couple of buck pictures on our clover food plot in the middle of the woods. It is interesting that the bucks were coming to this field when it was nothing but fresh dirt (it was plowed a couple of days earlier).
The first and second pictures are of a buck we call the Crab Claw 10. He is a 4 1/2 year old deer. If Dad or the landowner see him this fall, it might be his last.
The third picture is of a small 8 point that lives close to this field (I have tons of pictures of him). Notice the Crab Claw 10 to right in this picture. There is also a small buck in the background, to the left. However, look at the monster in the middle of this picture by the tree. We tried to zoom in on him to make out his rack but the lighting is just no good. He towers over the other bucks in the field. Definitely a mature deer.
Here is a tip for you: Position your trail cameras so as pictures are taken of deer in the foreground, you can still see what is in the background. I have positioned this camera intentionally like this for the last three years and it has paid off numerous times showing numerous bucks in the background. Two of the bucks in this picture never walked by the trail camera but it was nice to still get a picture of them.
4 weeks until opening day!
The first field we worked on was a small 1 acre food plot in the middle of the woods, located to the west of a bedding area that we constructed this winter. We planted Imperial Whitetail Clover in the whole thing. This should produce for us over the next 4 years if we continue to fertilize the clover twice a year.
The second field borders CRP grass to the south. We planted 1/2 acre of Whitetail Institutes Pure Attraction and 3/4 of an acre of winter wheat. We planted them next to each other in long strips approximately 30 yards wide.
The third field and forth field were planted in 1/2 acre of Whitetail Institutes Pure Attraction. The deer hammered this stuff last year all season long. We used extra fertilizer this year to make sure it came up strong and fast.
It sure feels good to be done with the food plots. All we have left is to finish some brush hogging, cut the existing clover fields next month, and hang a couple more stands. We will definitely be ready for opening day. All we need is the rain that was promised to arrive in 4 days. Time to start shooting the bows and preparing them for broadheads next week.
Here are a couple of buck pictures on our clover food plot in the middle of the woods. It is interesting that the bucks were coming to this field when it was nothing but fresh dirt (it was plowed a couple of days earlier).
The first and second pictures are of a buck we call the Crab Claw 10. He is a 4 1/2 year old deer. If Dad or the landowner see him this fall, it might be his last.
The third picture is of a small 8 point that lives close to this field (I have tons of pictures of him). Notice the Crab Claw 10 to right in this picture. There is also a small buck in the background, to the left. However, look at the monster in the middle of this picture by the tree. We tried to zoom in on him to make out his rack but the lighting is just no good. He towers over the other bucks in the field. Definitely a mature deer.
Here is a tip for you: Position your trail cameras so as pictures are taken of deer in the foreground, you can still see what is in the background. I have positioned this camera intentionally like this for the last three years and it has paid off numerous times showing numerous bucks in the background. Two of the bucks in this picture never walked by the trail camera but it was nice to still get a picture of them.
4 weeks until opening day!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
(P) Fall Field Preperation and Buck Pictures
Well, we have been back at it the last couple of days. Dad and I have been working on deer stands and preparing our fields for fall food plots. We had soooo much rain this year that I have had to trim all of our shooting lanes again because the vegetation growth has been significant. However, I only have 4 more stands to finish on our main farm with almost a month before opening day, so I feel pretty good about it.
The weeds have been so bad in our fields this year, we had to plow and disc the fields. Usually we only have to disc them a couple of times. We are planting a one acre field in Whitetail Clover and three other fields in Pure Attraction (mix of winter peas, oats, and brassicas). All of the products that we use are made by the Whitetail Institute (except when planting winter wheat, corn, milo, and soybeans). We are also going to plant an acre of winter wheat, which is seed that a local farmer gave us. The land owner made arrangements for us to get the seed for free (bonus)! After two days of work, all 4 fields are now ready for planting. It is just a timing game as we wait for some rain in the forecast and try to get the seed down prior to its arrival.
I checked my Bushnell trail cameras and was pleasantly surprised to see a couple of nice bucks on them. The first picture is of the biggest 4 point that I have ever seen. I wonder how old he his. He has great potential if he stays alive for another 3 years.
The second picture is of the Big 4 and a buck we call the Crab Claw 10. He is a mainframe 1o point with short main beams and long G2's. We have seen him for the last two years and he was always hanging with the Big 12 (pictured in the top of my blog page). I am not sure if the Big 12 made it through the winter. We have not been able to get a picture of him this year and he was a fairly old buck last year.
The last picture is of a nice mainframe 10 point that we have not seen before. It is always nice to have new bucks living on your property. That is why you need to get your trail cameras in the woods. This buck looks real similar to a buck that we call Spike. We call him that because he has spikes coming off his G-1's. Spike is a mainframe 10 with huge 8 inch brow tines (pictured in the top of my blog page). I hope he is still around. Anyways, this is still a very respectable deer. I got this picture of him walking a field edge at 2:51 in the afternoon.
Well, keep me posted on how you guys are doing out there and please send me any good trail camera pictures that you get.
The weeds have been so bad in our fields this year, we had to plow and disc the fields. Usually we only have to disc them a couple of times. We are planting a one acre field in Whitetail Clover and three other fields in Pure Attraction (mix of winter peas, oats, and brassicas). All of the products that we use are made by the Whitetail Institute (except when planting winter wheat, corn, milo, and soybeans). We are also going to plant an acre of winter wheat, which is seed that a local farmer gave us. The land owner made arrangements for us to get the seed for free (bonus)! After two days of work, all 4 fields are now ready for planting. It is just a timing game as we wait for some rain in the forecast and try to get the seed down prior to its arrival.I checked my Bushnell trail cameras and was pleasantly surprised to see a couple of nice bucks on them. The first picture is of the biggest 4 point that I have ever seen. I wonder how old he his. He has great potential if he stays alive for another 3 years.
The second picture is of the Big 4 and a buck we call the Crab Claw 10. He is a mainframe 1o point with short main beams and long G2's. We have seen him for the last two years and he was always hanging with the Big 12 (pictured in the top of my blog page). I am not sure if the Big 12 made it through the winter. We have not been able to get a picture of him this year and he was a fairly old buck last year.
The last picture is of a nice mainframe 10 point that we have not seen before. It is always nice to have new bucks living on your property. That is why you need to get your trail cameras in the woods. This buck looks real similar to a buck that we call Spike. We call him that because he has spikes coming off his G-1's. Spike is a mainframe 10 with huge 8 inch brow tines (pictured in the top of my blog page). I hope he is still around. Anyways, this is still a very respectable deer. I got this picture of him walking a field edge at 2:51 in the afternoon.
Well, keep me posted on how you guys are doing out there and please send me any good trail camera pictures that you get.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
(A) 14 Step Season Prep: Step 12- Trail Cameras
It is time to brush the dust off of those trail cameras and get them out in the field. A couple of weeks ago I put out 5 Bushnell trail cameras hoping to catch a snap shot of a monster buck on one of our hunting properties. This is a good practice to ensure the cameras are working correctly as we begin the season. In August, the big boys start feeding heavily and will let their guard down a bit, becoming more visible.
Cameras have became a vital part of my hunting strategy. They are especially important during August and September as I take a buck inventory of the deer currently using our properties. This will usually dictate my basic harvest goals for the season. Let me use last season as an example. I had pictures of two different mainframe 10 pointers and a twelve pointer. I was set on shooting a buck in the low 150's to 160's based on deer I had pictures of. Now, if you have read my previous articles, you know that I abandoned this strategy when I saw a buck in the 170-180" class. Some deer will come from other properties during the rut and sometimes deer are never caught on film by the trail cameras. But the point is the trail cameras give you a general idea of what a trophy is for your particular area.
There have been many times over the last 11 seasons that I elected to pass up a quality buck holding out for something bigger. However, if I would have scouted and utilized trail cameras, I would have realized that the bucks I was passing on, were the mature deer on the farm that particular year. Maybe the biggest bucks on your property are in the 120" class. If they are mature (4 years or older) than you should be proud of yourself if you harvest one. You can't kill a bigger deer if they don't exist on your property. Keep your expectations realistic to continually enjoy this sport.
Here are a couple of things to remember when using trail cameras:
1. Make sure your batteries are always fresh so you can leave them out for approximately 3 weeks (remain patient because this will keep your sent and intrusion down to a minimum).
2. Don't hang cameras in bedding areas this time of year. You will only be bumping deer out of their sanctuary. Stick to funnels, travel routes to and from feeding areas, and food plots.
3. Take wedges or shims with you to install your trail cameras. They work great when you are trying to get the right angle on the field of view. I have also recently purchased a couple of trail camera tripods for areas that don't have a good selection of trees (I will let you know how I like them). Existing fence posts work good too.
4. Keep your camera at the elevation of your waist or chest and keep the slope of the background in mind too.
5. Make sure your camera is pointed away from the sun (usually not to the south) so you don't get sun spots.
6. Wear gloves when handling your camera in the field to minimize your human sent. I prefer to use rubber gloves.
7. Keep two SD cards assigned to each camera (label them) to keep track of which one goes with which camera (if you use multiple cameras). If an SD card goes bad, you should be able to figure out which one it is.
8. Angle your camera so you can get a couple of shots of a deer as he walks to or away from the camera. Bucks are in bachelor groups this time of year and it helps to have a field or opening in the background which may show additional deer further away. If you are getting pictures of only a deer's front or hind quarters, you need to turn your camera a bit more.
I continue to utilize my trail cameras all season long and after the season is over. Throughout the season I get an idea of what bucks have moved on to the property, the time of day they are moving, and what areas are receiving the most deer traffic. This can also aid in determining the rut stages. After the season is over, I get an idea of what deer are still alive and the sheds that I should search for in the spring.
Cameras have became a vital part of my hunting strategy. They are especially important during August and September as I take a buck inventory of the deer currently using our properties. This will usually dictate my basic harvest goals for the season. Let me use last season as an example. I had pictures of two different mainframe 10 pointers and a twelve pointer. I was set on shooting a buck in the low 150's to 160's based on deer I had pictures of. Now, if you have read my previous articles, you know that I abandoned this strategy when I saw a buck in the 170-180" class. Some deer will come from other properties during the rut and sometimes deer are never caught on film by the trail cameras. But the point is the trail cameras give you a general idea of what a trophy is for your particular area.
There have been many times over the last 11 seasons that I elected to pass up a quality buck holding out for something bigger. However, if I would have scouted and utilized trail cameras, I would have realized that the bucks I was passing on, were the mature deer on the farm that particular year. Maybe the biggest bucks on your property are in the 120" class. If they are mature (4 years or older) than you should be proud of yourself if you harvest one. You can't kill a bigger deer if they don't exist on your property. Keep your expectations realistic to continually enjoy this sport.
Here are a couple of things to remember when using trail cameras:
1. Make sure your batteries are always fresh so you can leave them out for approximately 3 weeks (remain patient because this will keep your sent and intrusion down to a minimum).
2. Don't hang cameras in bedding areas this time of year. You will only be bumping deer out of their sanctuary. Stick to funnels, travel routes to and from feeding areas, and food plots.
3. Take wedges or shims with you to install your trail cameras. They work great when you are trying to get the right angle on the field of view. I have also recently purchased a couple of trail camera tripods for areas that don't have a good selection of trees (I will let you know how I like them). Existing fence posts work good too.
4. Keep your camera at the elevation of your waist or chest and keep the slope of the background in mind too.
5. Make sure your camera is pointed away from the sun (usually not to the south) so you don't get sun spots.
6. Wear gloves when handling your camera in the field to minimize your human sent. I prefer to use rubber gloves.
7. Keep two SD cards assigned to each camera (label them) to keep track of which one goes with which camera (if you use multiple cameras). If an SD card goes bad, you should be able to figure out which one it is.
8. Angle your camera so you can get a couple of shots of a deer as he walks to or away from the camera. Bucks are in bachelor groups this time of year and it helps to have a field or opening in the background which may show additional deer further away. If you are getting pictures of only a deer's front or hind quarters, you need to turn your camera a bit more.
I continue to utilize my trail cameras all season long and after the season is over. Throughout the season I get an idea of what bucks have moved on to the property, the time of day they are moving, and what areas are receiving the most deer traffic. This can also aid in determining the rut stages. After the season is over, I get an idea of what deer are still alive and the sheds that I should search for in the spring.
To wrap this up, I checked my trail cameras yesterday. Over the last two and a half weeks we had temperatures in the high 90's everyday. This really slowed down the big buck activity. All I had on my cameras were smaller bucks, slick heads (does) and fawns. I also managed to get pictures of thunder chickens, a bobcat, coyote, fox, and a few bandits (coons). Maybe the next three weeks will show me something more if it is not so hot (should have set up a camera on some water sources). You will never know until you get your cameras out there working for you.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
(P) Back from our vacation in Wisconsin
Well, I am back from spending 3 weeks at my grandparent's cabin in Wisconsin. Liz and I took the kids up there for a good time and to make more special memories (it is an annual trip). We mostly swam at the lake, played games and fished. I have to say that this was one of our best summers for fishing and weather. We caught a limit of fish most of the time we were on the water and the temperatures peaked in the high 70's or low 80's everyday (without the Kansas humidity of course).
My oldest son, Ryder, fished off the dock every morning and evening in an attempt to set the hook on another big bass (he has no problems catching them). My oldest daughter, Ashlynn, caught a few bass and my youngest son, Gage, tore up the bluegill for the first time. I had the opportunity to fish with all three of my brothers, my cousin, my mother and grandmother, and especially my lovely bride. I really enjoy fishing with my wife because she is such a natural at fishing! Each summer she goes fishing once or twice but she can cast and set the hook on big fish like she does it everyday. She needs no instruction and I enjoy watching her be successful. Yes, she has out fished me a time or two.
I have to shout out a BIG thank you to my cousin, Steve. We elected not to buy a boat this year because I did not receive raises at my work, etc. So, Steve offered to let us use his bass boat while we were in Wisconsin on vacation. It was really nice of him and we would not have caught nearly as many fish without his boat. Thanks Steve and keep our honey hole a secret! I say that because Steve, my brother Jeff, and I went fishing one morning at a new lake. Wow! After fishing for a couple of hours, we started catching 4-5 pound smallmouth and largemouth bass. We caught 12 fish that averaged over 4 pounds. It was awesome. We returned to the lake on another day with equal success. My brothers and I fished another lake earlier in the week where we caught 32 bass in less than 3 hours. Good times!
The fishing stud of the trip though, was my son Ryder. He wanted to fish 24/7. He would fish for bass, bluegill, northern pike, even a muskie if I would let him. Ryder wanted to learn to do everything for himself. He is very good at casting and is very patient. I was extremely proud of him. This 6 year old fishing junkie reminded me of another 6 year old that fished relentlessly on my grandpa's dock. Me! I guess this is a stage in life when we watch our children grow up, doing the things that we used to do. It was special and rewarding. If Ryder's passion continues for fishing, he maybe fishing the BASS tournament circuit one day. That was once a dream of mine so I think I could help him get there, but only if that is what he would want. I know I still grind my teeth a bit when I see fishing pros like Dean Rojas and others on TV. I used to compete with those guys back in the 1990's in California. Oh well, such is life.
Here are more pictures showing some of the fish that we caught. They look a bit short due top my wife's camera lens. However, 7 of them were 19" or longer. Next week I will start cutting the clover on our food plots and brush hogging. It is time to put out the trail cameras and start preparing the fields for fall food plot planting (in the end of August). Seven weeks until opening day in Kansas!!!!
My oldest son, Ryder, fished off the dock every morning and evening in an attempt to set the hook on another big bass (he has no problems catching them). My oldest daughter, Ashlynn, caught a few bass and my youngest son, Gage, tore up the bluegill for the first time. I had the opportunity to fish with all three of my brothers, my cousin, my mother and grandmother, and especially my lovely bride. I really enjoy fishing with my wife because she is such a natural at fishing! Each summer she goes fishing once or twice but she can cast and set the hook on big fish like she does it everyday. She needs no instruction and I enjoy watching her be successful. Yes, she has out fished me a time or two.
I have to shout out a BIG thank you to my cousin, Steve. We elected not to buy a boat this year because I did not receive raises at my work, etc. So, Steve offered to let us use his bass boat while we were in Wisconsin on vacation. It was really nice of him and we would not have caught nearly as many fish without his boat. Thanks Steve and keep our honey hole a secret! I say that because Steve, my brother Jeff, and I went fishing one morning at a new lake. Wow! After fishing for a couple of hours, we started catching 4-5 pound smallmouth and largemouth bass. We caught 12 fish that averaged over 4 pounds. It was awesome. We returned to the lake on another day with equal success. My brothers and I fished another lake earlier in the week where we caught 32 bass in less than 3 hours. Good times!
The fishing stud of the trip though, was my son Ryder. He wanted to fish 24/7. He would fish for bass, bluegill, northern pike, even a muskie if I would let him. Ryder wanted to learn to do everything for himself. He is very good at casting and is very patient. I was extremely proud of him. This 6 year old fishing junkie reminded me of another 6 year old that fished relentlessly on my grandpa's dock. Me! I guess this is a stage in life when we watch our children grow up, doing the things that we used to do. It was special and rewarding. If Ryder's passion continues for fishing, he maybe fishing the BASS tournament circuit one day. That was once a dream of mine so I think I could help him get there, but only if that is what he would want. I know I still grind my teeth a bit when I see fishing pros like Dean Rojas and others on TV. I used to compete with those guys back in the 1990's in California. Oh well, such is life.
Here are more pictures showing some of the fish that we caught. They look a bit short due top my wife's camera lens. However, 7 of them were 19" or longer. Next week I will start cutting the clover on our food plots and brush hogging. It is time to put out the trail cameras and start preparing the fields for fall food plot planting (in the end of August). Seven weeks until opening day in Kansas!!!!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
(A) 14 Step Season Prep: Step 11- Summer Shooting
This is about the only time during the entire year when I don't think a lot about hunting. Some years have me feeling a little burned by now. I am usually tired from working hard on stands and food plots. Turkey season is over and I am just ready for a break. I used to be a tournament fisherman for Bass when I lived out west. So I am always searching for an opportunity to go fishing and catch some bucket mouths. The days are getting hot, the kids want to be outside doing something all day (usually at the pool), and there are so many things to do around the house.
It is okay to mentally take a break from deer season. Fall is around the corner so take this time to spend some quality time with your family. My oldest son enjoys fishing more than anything else. So I take him fishing when I have the opportunity. If you haven't witnessed a kid catching fish, you are really missing out! Take a kid fishing and see what happens. They are experiencing the same emotions that we have when we shoot a 170" buck.
During the month of July we always take a family vacation up to northern Wisconsin at my grandparents cabin. I usually spend June working as much as a I can to save up money for the trip. I try to take three weeks off from work for this trip so my kids can really enjoy some time at the lake and give them some quality Dad time. Once I return from the trip I usually have my fill of catching fish and I am charged back up for deer hunting.
July and August are always the hottest months out of the year. It can be hard to get motivated to shoot bows when it gets hot outside (usually sweating like a pig) and you have to deal with bugs (mosquito's, chiggers, ticks, flies, etc.). I like to focus my efforts on shooting only once a week during this time of year. My Dad usually keeps the grass cut short where we shoot our bows and this helps keep the bugs down. I prefer to shoot early in the morning when it is the coolest part of the day but I will also shoot in the evenings before dark.
I like to make the shooting adventurous and fun this time of year. We will set up a little shooting course at my Dad's house. We will shoot our bows out of a ladder stand or ground blind, up and down slopes. We will set up multiple deer targets at various angles to simulate different shot conditions. We also practice shooting long range shots at 60+ yards. Occasionally we will shoot from the roof of my Dad's garage but be careful if you do this (not all roofs are created equal). I have seen some guys tape balloons into the middle of old tires and then roll them down a hill. Your partner shoots at the balloon as if the deer is on the run (make sure of your back drop if you try this). Be experimental and try different things to make your shooting sessions new and fun. My brother-in-law will shoot from almost any body position that he can think of (sitting, on his knees, on his back, turned 180 degrees, etc). Try different shooting set ups and try to shoot with a friend. It makes archery more enjoyable.
Summer should be the cut off for making any major equipment changes. If you make any changes in the fall it is going to affect your confidence and probably your accuracy. I always go through all of my shooting equipment this time of year and double check every detail. I want to spend my last shooting sessions at the end of summer to only dial in broadheads. I don't want to mess with anything else. Once September rolls around I stop shooting my field points and switch to broadheads. Our Kansas archery season starts at the end of September and I like to make the switch to broadheads approximately one month before the season begins.
Well, July is almost here so I will cover Step 12 of this 14 step process in August. Good shooting and go catch a big fish this summer!
It is okay to mentally take a break from deer season. Fall is around the corner so take this time to spend some quality time with your family. My oldest son enjoys fishing more than anything else. So I take him fishing when I have the opportunity. If you haven't witnessed a kid catching fish, you are really missing out! Take a kid fishing and see what happens. They are experiencing the same emotions that we have when we shoot a 170" buck.
During the month of July we always take a family vacation up to northern Wisconsin at my grandparents cabin. I usually spend June working as much as a I can to save up money for the trip. I try to take three weeks off from work for this trip so my kids can really enjoy some time at the lake and give them some quality Dad time. Once I return from the trip I usually have my fill of catching fish and I am charged back up for deer hunting.
July and August are always the hottest months out of the year. It can be hard to get motivated to shoot bows when it gets hot outside (usually sweating like a pig) and you have to deal with bugs (mosquito's, chiggers, ticks, flies, etc.). I like to focus my efforts on shooting only once a week during this time of year. My Dad usually keeps the grass cut short where we shoot our bows and this helps keep the bugs down. I prefer to shoot early in the morning when it is the coolest part of the day but I will also shoot in the evenings before dark.
I like to make the shooting adventurous and fun this time of year. We will set up a little shooting course at my Dad's house. We will shoot our bows out of a ladder stand or ground blind, up and down slopes. We will set up multiple deer targets at various angles to simulate different shot conditions. We also practice shooting long range shots at 60+ yards. Occasionally we will shoot from the roof of my Dad's garage but be careful if you do this (not all roofs are created equal). I have seen some guys tape balloons into the middle of old tires and then roll them down a hill. Your partner shoots at the balloon as if the deer is on the run (make sure of your back drop if you try this). Be experimental and try different things to make your shooting sessions new and fun. My brother-in-law will shoot from almost any body position that he can think of (sitting, on his knees, on his back, turned 180 degrees, etc). Try different shooting set ups and try to shoot with a friend. It makes archery more enjoyable.
Summer should be the cut off for making any major equipment changes. If you make any changes in the fall it is going to affect your confidence and probably your accuracy. I always go through all of my shooting equipment this time of year and double check every detail. I want to spend my last shooting sessions at the end of summer to only dial in broadheads. I don't want to mess with anything else. Once September rolls around I stop shooting my field points and switch to broadheads. Our Kansas archery season starts at the end of September and I like to make the switch to broadheads approximately one month before the season begins.
Well, July is almost here so I will cover Step 12 of this 14 step process in August. Good shooting and go catch a big fish this summer!
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