Deer season is already sneaking in on me as many projects have been completed while many numerous projects still remain.
What deer hunting prep and/or activities have you completed and plan to complete by deer season?
What are you doing differently this year?
I went out yesterday and cleared up some deer trails and moved a ladder stand about 25 yards. There was a couple dead trees had fallen across the trails so I cut them out of the way for the deer to keep using those trails
I have a couple of projects that need attending to very soon. One, a number of the trails on my place have grown up a lot. They need to be cleared so vehicles can move around. Secondly, several stands need maintenance, especially the straps that I hook my safety harness to. Since I leave my stands out all year, straps only last a couple of seasons. I seldom need to relocate stands as I have got this area patterned pretty well, so heavy duty scouting is not often required.
Yep. I have to get out and replace all of the safety ratchet straps. I have a few brush piles that need some work too.
It never stops here. Always stand work, fence, coon trapping, water toughs,or just plain pig thinning to do.
Work gets in the way sometimes.
Soon though the cows will rotate out of our pasture and we can start supplemental feed and get plots ready for he fall planting.
I need to find a new disc though. We chopped out a bunch of cactus earlier this year.
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My deer hunting projects begin in February.
* Scout Areas for next fall
* Identify prime locations...much hinge cutting to move trails...several hours may go into arranging trails such that 3 main trails are w/I 18 yards of a ground set...the newly built trails may be dirt by July...plenty of thought and strategizing is required. I have 9 ground sets
* Moving several 1000# 6X8 ground blinds deep in the woods is often quite challenging...setting a new 6X8 tomorrow...have already cleared the woods.
* Revisit current setup areas in order to ascertain required trail maintenance and additional hinge cutting requirements
* Continue camera scouting thru March
* Only overseeded one foodplot this year
* Planted 2 new foodplots and will bush hogg three more times before season
* Have three winter annual foodplots to plant in August
* Effective cover for the large blinds is challenging...takes some effort...camo covered a roof on a blind this morning
*Set 3 rope scrapes...have 3 more to set and 2 T-Post scrapes to set
*Two horizontal rub setups to be implemented
* Have identified three promising stand locations...not permitted to climb so I will be recruiting some help.
* Working mineral licks now...seeing some promising velvet racks already and the main 6 week growing period hasn't started
THERE IS MUCH MORE
Some individuals are totally consumed with the deer hunting prep, strategizing, project implementation, evaluating the results and the complete hunting, camaraderie and outdoor experience....NOT ME!
This evening I couldn't hold out any long. I had to answer the call of the wild. Loaded the canoe and set out to a place a few snuck by me last fall. This place is a ridge between two Gum ponds that's about 50 yds wide. It's benefits are twofold in that it's suited for travel and food. There are several large Swamp Chestnut Oaks and multiple mature Water Oaks. Last Fall the side opposite of my stand was the preferred route. Today I slipped in early evening as it was only 95 degrees and cut poison oak vines at the base of several trees and cleared a few lanes as well. I'll slip back in late August and check acorn production. The rumble of thunder sent me back to the canoe prematurely!
I have been trying to socialize the does on my farm. Been able to get 2 of them to watch me so far as I walked within 50 yards. Of course that will all change when I am carrying a bow and not a hay bale. :biglaugh:
Friend, season opens for us two months from today—wow!
*I've done the initial setup on a couple of natural ground blinds. Need to finish brushing them in and cut shooting lanes.
*Got two stands I need to move.
*Set up ladder stand in yard so I can practice shooting from elevated position.
*Freshen up mineral licks again.
*Put out a couple of extra trail cams.
*Need to bare shaft tune my new setup, then order some broad heads. My goal is to get everything proficient and then shoot every day between now and season to see what my effective range is going to be! (First time hunting with a trad bow). :archer2:
Geez ya I guess Aug 30th isn't to far away.
Been making up some new arrows, 2 dz GT blem shafts I bought yrs ago from big Jim at ETAR.
Been hiking and scouting, pouring over onX hunt and google earth.
Ordering new backpacking supplies for my epic journeys this season
Put up climbing sticks last week , stand yesterday . Made 3 licking sticks . Pulled the card on my camera and I had a couple pic of a bear and he knocked the camera a lil out of position and had the ass end of a deer in one frame . Hope to see the 8 I almost had a shot at last years.
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A lot of good stuff is happenin....
I'm not doing anything dif. I'll make arrows, sharpen knives. Maybe pack a fanny pack and long range scout some areas w binoculars. Wish more guys did that instead of the mad dash to bait trees, hang stands, check cameras. Puts lots of human activity into hunt areas and tips em off. It's ok though I scout fwd. In other words where they're gonna be not where they are now.
I'm starting all over this year, I'm new to Georgia and this will be my first hunting season. Finding a place to hunt, how to access it, some scouting. All new terrain and weather patterns.....I have my challenges ahead. But I do believe that there is more game down here than in my part of New York. All part of the challenge I guess...... :dunno:
Since this will be my first season hunting my own farm, lots to get done.
Stand and blind sites selected. Decided to use pop up blinds this year to determine best places for box blinds.
Already have one plot, two mineral licks and a new pond. Couple new fall plots being prepared.
Many pics from seven cameras. Lots of wildlife including at least two bucks to get excited about.
Time to start my mock scrapes and licking branches.
Good luck to all you guys that are planning and working hard toward your goal!
I tweaked my setups that needed it in March. Not a lot I'm doing now other than watching bean fields trying to get an idea of what bucks are around and shooting a lot to make sure I can put it where it needs to go when he finally walks by me.
We only have another 5-6 weeks until the season opens.
Rather than hiking up solo into the high country, I'm opting to stay at an RV campsite. A more seasoned hunter has offered to let me join him. He invited me up last year for the rifle season & I found my first buck in 4 years on that first evening out. I figure I'll learn more hanging out with him for a few days than I will on my own. His wife told me that he doesn't hunt solo anymore so I think he's happy to finally have somebody who can join him for the archery season. Should be a win/win.
I got drawn for a late season either-sex tag along the coast as well. It's a long hike in with hardly a soul in sight for days on end.
I've taken a bow the last couple times but haven't gotten close enough to take any shots. This year, I'm taking the smoke pole out for that hunt so as long as the weather doesn't get too crazy, I should be able to get within range a little easier. If I manage to get something, I'll have my work cut out for me getting it all out.
When I got to the lease or ranch to work I'll leave the sweaty shirts from the weekend tied to my stands. I have noticed the more I'm around the less the deer associate my presence/scent with danger.
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I'm in the process of transitioning to another state. Going from hills and valleys to flats, agricultural and near the sea. Have to relearn everything.🤔
One more completed project: 6 x 8 Blind set, painted, windows cut and meshed and brushed in
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Looks great!
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GCook...thank you
Have five complete....one more partially complete...another blind to set....one to be relocated...several more rope scrapes to be put out and one horizontal rub setup to be established...plant three winter food plots and more.
I thoroughly enjoy the strategizing, the implementation and viewing the results.
My deer hunting prep is a little different this year...realtor interaction, paperwork and scraping together cash, worrying, perc tests...etc. My wife and I are having settlement on pc of property tomorrow. Not big. But big enough. It is in a beautiful area and surrounded by working farms and woods and a lot of terrain changes. The surrounding area has a very healthy deer population. Though at this point it my property is mostly a corn field and one 400 yard long fence row between me and the neighbor's land. No structures of any kind for a base of operations. I'll have to trade my Kubota in on a bigger one.
My wife is not a hunter but both of us come from 6-7 generations of local farming stock so it just seems right having a bigger pc of land. The equipment I get for food plots will make her vegetable patch. And I'll build her a new house.
I think I'll be able to attract and hold deer with the "improvements" I have planned. Step one is a driveway and a pole building. Then a new house.
In the meantime for I made up a new string and two new spare strings for my primary bow. I made up 2 1/2 doz arrows. 15 with Zwickey Deltas. The back-up bow is tuned for the same arrow. Broke in a new glove just right and put it back for hunting only. Ordered a new pair of un-insulated Danner Pronghorns.
I only have one camera hung and that is out on the new property. I figured that was enough until we actually had settlement. 4 stands and 1 blind are ready to go but not hung. I have a trip up north to the hunting camp planned for labor day and will scout a little. We leave for Wyoming Sept 13th.
New Property
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Arrows
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I moved two deer out of the corn when I went to hang a camera. I like the photo, it reminds me of Wyoming.
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My dog has as many fantasies about the new place as I do!
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Some deer on the neighbors land.
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Tedd, congratulations on the new place. Those arrows looks great!
This weekend we set up a new blind with a lease member and did other work around our areas. Gt cameras rolling and trimmed some limbs to clear shooting lanes. Refilled watering stations (critical here right now) and did some fence work as well. Hot and dusty work.
A few beers, several Gatoraides and a bunch of bottles of water were needed to get through 14 hour work days in the heat.
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Finished building and painting a set of horizontal rub support posts today...will set them next week
Am quite interested in seeing the results after the first week in October.
tedd
very nice property you have...i'm envious :thumbsup:
Start next week bush hogging, disking, prepping soil based on soil samples for five late season foodplots...still have plenty of work ahead of me.
We are fixing to buy a 8' disc for our tractor to get after ours as well.
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Finished relocating and brushing in two large 6X8 box blinds and set one two man Denali stand this week... they are hunt ready...[attachment=2,msg2882612]
Well, today I finished all but one stand. All the support straps are in place, the shooting lanes are open, and the orange trail markers have been updated. I do have several roads on the property that need to be cleaned up and mowed, but they are not important for the hunting. Now, if only my sore shoulder will cool down...
This is they year I seriously try to do it with stone tipped arrows. They, too, are ready. Just waiting on the calendar to count down.
Friend, those blinds look great! Nice job brushing them in. My buddy and I just got permission from a farmer to hunt one spot (~500 acres, but mostly open crop land). We went and scouted yesterday and put out a camera. Hopefully gonna get a blind out there pretty quick.
I've got a camera and a feeder at my place that I'm checking one more time tomorrow. Other than that I'm trying to stay out as much as possible until opening morning. Got a few hunting clothes to wash and gonna call it good.
SlowBowKing......Thank you
The year long prep,. strategizing and project implementation heightens the anticipation.
Visualling the results whether positive or not is a satisfying experience.
One may be inclined to believe that I am running a commercial operation. While I do have two traditional hunter leasees, the 9 ground blinds are my personal blinds; note: I am restricted to the ground... much planning and work goes into making them approach the effectiveness of a decent tree stand setup....plenty of hinge cutting and moving major trails such that three major trails will be within 18 yards of the blind...some have been moved up to 60 yards with the intent that the deer are still reaching their intended destination.
I do have 5 tree stands for guests and often guide hunters for merely the love of sharing this wonderful endeavor.
I have made plenty of mistakes and am still learning while fully enjoying the complete experience.
Great looking blinds Scott!
I am in KS now, scouting and setting stands.
I got this treestand set on the edge of a soybean field:
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And this ladder stand set in the corner of a corn field:
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Bisch
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Completed:
- maintained accuracy with my bow
- picked up 3 spare strings, stretched them, and tuned them
- inspected and repaired all 4 dozen of my arrows
- inspected and sharpened all of my heads
- bought a ghillie suit and trimmed as needed to fit
- scouted an additional 80 locations on public land
- obtained access to two private farms scouted those farms
- located food sources and changes to bedding/food
- maintained fitness to allow me to pack in stand and bring out animals
- made a leather holster for a sidearm 44 mag that allows me to draw it sitting or standing despite the 8.5" barrel and stays out of the way of the bowstring
- combed through all of my gear and stand with a fine toothed comb and made any repairs as needed and repainted what is needed
- worked extra to allow for time off in the fall
- saved extra to allow for additional expenses
- made room in the freezer for more meat
- cut a Pelican Storm case to fit my travel kit/bow
- made plans for special hunts with special people
- applied for and obtained permits
- renewed license
- broke in new boots
- maintained vehicle to ensure reliability with transportation
- etc
Need to complete:
- scout another 20ish places (most of which may happen during the season at this point)
- survive another 27 days
- harvest a bear or hunt them until bear season closes
- finish up the last 6 knives in my shop for the year so there will be no distractions
Making a new game cart.
Getting too old with bad knees and back and not into dragging anything around except my old butt.
Bisch...the stand sets look deadly
Finished setting up and brushing in a Double Bull today.
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