Hunting

The Whitetail Institute's Imperial Clover is a clover blend that was produced from cross-breeding over 100 different clover varieties, eliminating the least desirable clover and keeping the best.  After years of this research and development, Imperial Clover was born, and has since been the standard by which all clover blends have been measured over the last couple of decades.

Imperial Clover is a perennial, and can be planted in spring or fall.  If taken care of, in addition to fairly good weather, you can expect to get strong results for 3-5 years before having to plant again. 

Preparation

As always, the first thing to do for any food plot is to perform a soil test.  This will let you know exactly what your soil needs (fertilizer, lime) for optimal growth, saving you time, money and frustration.  

Here are the recommended planting dates: 

• Spring planting dates for Imperial Clover
• Fall planting dates for Imperial Clover

Based on these dates, we plan the preceding preparation of the seed bed.  

After this is complete, we usually check the forecast for a decent rain, and then broadcast the seed with a hand-seeder the day before.   Once we have dispersed all seed, we usually drag an old piece of heavy fence or a cut-down pine to lightly cover the seed.  The Whitetail Institute recommends using a cultipacker here (again), but we have not tried that.

To read more, including the amazing results, click here.

Trail cameras are easily one of the greatest technological innovations in the last couple of decades within the hunting industry. Unfortunately very few hunters realize how much information these tools gather, especially when it comes to patterning deer activity.

Most hunters who use game cameras only use them for one thing—seeing how big the bucks are on their property.  They will set a game camera over bait, check the camera every week or so, and if a big buck shows up on the camera, they will probably end up putting a stand nearby.  

If the hunter lives in a state where baiting is allowed, this may work, but it isn't really patterning deer activity, and it leaves a lot to be desired.  For instance it doesn't show where the deer came from or what route he was travelling.   

If the hunter doesn't live in a state where baiting during hunting season is allowed, this is crucial information.

The hunter may spend all season moving stands all over trying to figure out where the deer are travelling.  This wastes the hunter's time, and also disturbs the habitat as human scent will no doubt be spread all over, possibly causing the more mature bucks to change their patterns, go nocturnal or leave the area entirely.

Position the trail cameras correctly to maximize success

Whether you are using them to pattern deer or baiting them (for a trail camera survey or just to get a better look at your deer), all game cameras should be positioned with the following basic techniques.

• Set up the cameras so that you can easily identify the deer, especially bucks, to pattern them individually later
• Remove limbs and brush from the viewing area
• Point the cameras in a direction where the sun will not affect it, preferably north, but south works too
• All game cameras are different, so make sure you test each one to make sure it is in a good position
  
  

For patterning deer activity, game cameras should ideally be positioned on trails leading to and out of food sources, or entrance/exit points on a property (this is in addition to the above techniques).

Putting trail cameras on trails instead of directly on bait limits the amount  of images you get, but it creates a more reliable data source for patterning deer.  

The reason is that any one deer could stay at a bait spot for one minute, 10 minutes, one hour, three hours etc.  Since this is unpredictable, and varies from day to day, your results will be extremely skewed when analyzing the data, whether it be manually or with a program like W.I.S.E. Trail Camera Software.

For instance, one deer could stay at a baited camera for one hour, and there could be 100-plus pictures of that same deer.  If five deer come through (at different times) on an un-baited camera, you will most likely have significantly less images.   

When analyzed in a program like W.I.S.E., the weather reports will show a huge percentage difference for all categories for the initial deer on the baited camera. This skewing of the data affects the pattern of the data.   This hurts your chances of success.

You may need to move your cameras often to find a good trail that gathers the most images without spooking the deer.   This should be done in the spring so not disturb the deer right before the hunting season begins.  Once you find a good spot, leave the cameras there for the rest of the year.

Read the rest of the article on HuntersClub.com

As you sit in your stand on the final day of hunting season, the last little bit of sunlight disappears behind the ridge in front of you, and a sinking feeling sets in—hunting season is over. 

Turkey season doesn’t start for a few months, shed hunting hasn’t started yet and next year’s archery opener seems like a lifetime away. 

What can you do now? 

If you’re anything like me, you think about being in the whitetail woods year-round. There is one tool that you can use throughout the year that can help you be more successful when hunting season rolls back around: That tool is the trail camera. 

In Part 1 of this series, I will explain why trail cameras are a perfect tool to employ just as vigorously after the season ends as you did back in September.  

Why Should You Use Trail Cameras After the Season Has Ended?

Identifying Deer that have made it Through the Hunting Season

The first and most obvious reason for postseason trail camera use is to determine which bucks have survived the archery and firearm seasons.   

The feeling of seeing a buck that you have been watching all year show up on camera in the middle of February is second only to harvesting him. 

When he shows up alive and well after the season has closed, you know that you will most likely have a chance to hunt him again next fall.

Trail Camera Surveys for Deer Census Data

After watching what can seem like an endless amount of antlerless deer coming to a food source in late winter, the first and perhaps most important question you may ask yourself is: How many deer are really on my property?

This question can easily and efficiently be answered by a winter trail camera survey.

Trail camera surveys are typically done in either the early fall or late winter and can provide valuable information such as buck to doe ratio, buck age structure and fawn recruitment.

While trail camera surveys may not answer every question you may have about your deer herd, they will definitely give you valuable insight into future management decisions.

Trail camera software like W.I.S.E. can make performing trail camera censuses very easy on you.

Identifying the Second Rut

When yearling does come into estrous for the first time in the second rut, buck movement is very visible. This is because the number of does coming into estrous a month after the peak of the first rut is far less.

Trail cameras can help you pinpoint the peak of the second rut not only by increased buck movement, but also by capturing sparring and bucks harassing small does on film.    

Determining when the second rut occurs can be very beneficial if hunting season is still in.

Even if your hunting season is over by then, this information can still be very helpful. By looking back 28 days, you are able to have a very good idea as to when the peak of the first rut occurred.   

Read about where to place postseason cameras and more at HuntersClub.com

Zach Liotus is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University where he majored in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. 

He is currently on staff with Pennsylvania Forestry and Wildlife Consultants and can be reached at zach@huntersclub.com.  

Hunting whitetails during the late season brings a unique set of challenges that we don’t normally encounter through the rest of the year.  During the early season, shot opportunities were abundant and I passed on a lot of deer.  All those forgone opportunities now seem imaginary as I sit watching empty deer trails, while scrambling squirrels tap dance on my last good nerve.

At this point, just seeing deer is reason for celebration and realistic chances at a shot are few and far between.  There is a strong possibility that I’ll finish deer season with a few tags (including all of my buck tags) still intact. 

Here are a few of the difficulties that come up during the late season, with some tips that might help us all in the final weeks of hunting season.

Troubles

The deer in our area have been hunted hard for a few months now.  This hunting pressure has changed bedding, feeding and travel patterns and the deer have assumed a ghost-like scarcity.  Where we hunt, the deer movement is almost completely nocturnal.  Patterns have changed and my notes from October are nearly useless.     

Not only are the actual deer numbers down as a result of harvest, but the deer that remain in the herd are skittish and unpredictable.  Observations and experiences from one day don’t seem to convey to the next.

This year’s acorn crop has been consumed and early season trails now sit vacant.  Adding insult to injury, weather patterns seem to change twice daily and deer movement seems impossible to predict.  In short, I’m depressed.

Tactics

Where one man sees trouble, another sees opportunity, so maybe I can muster some optimism in my winter wanderings.

Our trail cameras confirm that deer still exist.  The cold temperatures seem to be pushing deer toward available winter food sources.  Our food plot cameras are seeing pretty steady activity, but most of it is under the moonlight. 

I spent last weekend in my favorite plot-side stand and could hear deer movement in an adjoining thicket during the waning minutes of daylight.  Trail camera shots show deer under my stand just minutes into the night.

So how do you buy extra daylight?  Consider stand locations bordering bedding areas to catch deer early in their trip toward dinner and late in the morning venture back to bed.  This is a potentially risky endeavor and you have to be careful not to bump deer from the bedding area.  Close attention to wind direction and noise will be paramount.

Although the glory days of the first rut may be gone, all is not lost here.  The secondary rut is upon us in Virginia and it’s common to see an increase in buck movement despite the stress of the past few months. 

Our area holds many more does than bucks, so we have actually noted better buck movement in December, as they seek out does that were not bred 4-6 weeks ago when possible mates were everywhere and they didn’t have to travel far to find a date.  Again, focus on routes to winter food sources and you may catch your late season trophy checking does.

Read the conclusion at HuntersClub.com

Scent control is a big topic of conversation amongst hunters around the world. This is a specific part of hunting where “common knowledge” has really changed in the past few decades.

As a bow hunter, I have to pay a great deal of attention to the details regarding my scent in the woods given my required close proximity to the deer. But all hunters stand to benefit from a persistent scent control strategy.

Please note that the advice below applies to getting and remaining as close to scent-free as possible. Therefore, I will not be covering lures or cover scents at this time.

Scent Myths

I often hear skepticism regarding some of the techniques described below, or any scent control attempt for that matter. I’ll address a few of those to get started.

“Scent control is a gimmick designed to sell more clothing and accessories.” 

It is true that hunting has become a big business, and there is room for debate regarding the level of effectiveness of some newer technologies. However, there is no doubt that deer have a highly developed sense of smell and that they use that sense as a primary defense mechanism.

Therefore, it is in the hunter’s best interest to make every reasonable attempt at scent elimination and to experiment with new products to find the best combination of tools and tactics. 

“I don’t do anything to manage scent, and I still see deer.” 

Congratulations—you have probably worked hard at developing the other skills necessary to effectively hunt deer. However, I will bet that 99 percent of the deer you see are coming from a direction where the wind is working to your direct advantage.

Furthermore, depending on how reckless you are in the scent department, deer detect and avoid you without ever revealing themselves. So you don’t even realize what you’re missing.

“People have hunted effectively since the beginning of time, and they didn’t use all this stuff.” 

True. It is also true that the Wright brothers managed to fly a plane. That does not mean that there haven’t been significant improvements in the technique. Today’s technologies allow us greater advantages in scent control to improve our odds of harvest. This is particularly important in the current hunting culture, where trophy hunting has become such a focus. 

Additionally, hunting pressure has amplified over the years due to decreased deer habitat and the increased popularity of hunting. In high-pressure areas, you end up with deer that are very leery and difficult to hunt. You need all the help you can get.

The List

No. 10: Clothing

This is an area where you can significantly reduce your scent profile. Regular detergents (like Tide, Gain, etc.) clean your clothes but add fragrances that are definitely not found in nature. Using scent-free detergents will keep your clothes clean without adding the deer-alerting perfume.

Scent Killer, Scent-a-Way, Primos, and Dead Down Wind are a few of the many manufacturers of hunting-specific scent-free detergent. I have also heard of guys using combinations of baking soda and borax to make their own detergent, but I have not tried it myself.

Consider drying your clothes outside, on a clothesline, to avoid picking up odors from inside your dryer. The companies mentioned above also offer sheets to absorb odor in the dryer.

I might take a beating for this recommendation, but I believe that activated carbon clothing eliminates enough scent to make it worthwhile. Activated carbon clothing is touted to absorb scent to reduce your chances of detection. Scent-Lok and Scent Blocker are two popular manufacturers of these clothes. I use this type of clothing from head to toe, and I believe that it helps eliminate scent. In particular, I always use activated carbon headgear to reduce scent from sweating or my breath.

Recently, lawsuits have drawn this technology into question. It appears that manufacturers and marketing teams may have overstated the effectiveness of the technology, and it looks like the courts are going to reel their claims in a bit. While I do not believe that activated carbon is 100 percent effective or the only necessary scent control tool, I do believe that it helps control scent in coordination with other techniques.

No. 9: Clothing Storage

Getting your clothes clean and scent free is very important. Keeping them that way is just as critical. Zip-Loc makes extra large bags that work great for keeping your clothes sealed away from contaminants. After I wash and dry my hunting clothes, I seal them in the Zip-Loc bag and put the bags in a Rubbermaid-type plastic container.

There are also commercially available containers and rubber bags that are designed for this use. Keep your dry hunting clothes in the sealed container anytime they are not in use.

No. 8: Control Scent from Your Body

Use scent-free body wash to get clean without picking up unwanted perfumes. What smells nice to your wife will send every downwind deer scattering. The same companies listed above offer products including scent-free soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste, and even chewing gum.

Shower with scent-free products before every hunt. Some folks even use these products exclusively during hunting season to prevent any lingering fragrance.

No. 7: Avoid Contamination

This topic is related to No. 8 but worth consideration on its own. There is no need to employ all the techniques listed above if you intend to wear your hunting clothes while having breakfast at the local diner, spilling coffee on yourself, talking to your buddies while they chain smoke cigarettes, all before filling your truck up with gas, and then heading out to hunt.

Obviously life goes on outside of the hunting woods, but try to take reasonable precautions to avoid picking up odor on your way to the stand. Small things like remembering to get gas the night before can pay dividends during the hunt. 

Keep your clothes sealed in their scent-free containers until you reach your hunting area. Then get dressed outside to avoid contaminating yourself with odor from the vehicle. This may seem strange or extreme, but remember, deer are not accustomed to the “new car smell” air freshener or any of the other odors lingering in your pickup truck.

No. 6: Scent-Eliminating Sprays

All of the companies listed above also produce odor-eliminating sprays for use in the field. These sprays use a variety of technologies to kill bacteria or otherwise limit the amount of human scent detectable to animals. Spray yourself liberally from head to toe after getting dressed to restrict any remaining scent on your clothing.

Read more at HuntersClub.com.

For hunters, there is just something about this time of year.  We’re all ready for the temperatures to drop, the days to get a little shorter, and those first hours in a tree stand. 

I’ve been reading, and re-reading hunting magazines, setting the DVR for all my favorite hunting shows, and laying awake at night thinking through my preseason checklists and priorities as I prepare for the upcoming season.  Now it is time to put some of this reading, watching, thinking, and dreaming into action. 

Here are a few items to help you with your preseason preparations.

Property Management

Hopefully, you’ve been able to spend some time outdoors, and in your hunting area during the off season.  If not, now is the time to get back out there.  This is a great time to get some scouting in, and place your game cameras if they haven’t been deployed all year.  Keep in mind that the deer on your property are still in their summer routines and travel patterns; so there is no need for alarm if you’re not seeing activity in your mid-rut hot spot. 

In the scouting vein, this is also a great time to execute a herd survey with your game cameras.  You can find complete instructions by watching the W.I.S.E. instructional video, Step 5—Herd Monitoring.  Download W.I.S.E. from http://huntersclub.com/wise.aspx and follow the video tutorial. 

A little work here can give you an accurate idea of what animals are on your property, and help you formulate your harvest strategy for the coming season. 

This is also a good time to make final preparations to your food plots (I live and hunt in Virginia, so obviously time lines will vary geographically).  Many folks may have planted in the Spring, but you can fill in thin spots or plant plot perimeters with a Fall-specific seed blend to add some variety. 

Be sure to follow planting instructions, and give the seed time to germinate before it gets too cold.   

Since you will be spending some time on your hunting property, go ahead and inspect your tree stands, steps, ladders, and harnesses.  Depending on their condition at the end of last season and your storage arrangement, the equipment may require repair or replacement. 

You are much better off discovering problems now (in the preseason and while you have both feet on the ground) rather than later.  If everything checks out and you use some hang-on style stands, go ahead and get a few placed in your “old standby” locations. 

Getting those stands in a tree will put you ahead of the game, and allow the area to cool off from the activity associated with getting the stand in position (noise, scent, lane cutting, etc.).  Having these stands set up in proven locations will give you a good starting point for early season hunts.

Equipment and Technique

Read the Conclusion at HuntersClub.com

Fall food plots are a great way to provide forage throughout the colder months of the year and into the beginning of spring before you plant your spring warm season plots. It will help maintain the carrying capacity of your property and can also be a great attractant for a hunting stand. NOTE: Please check with your state and local game laws when planting supplemental nutrition.

Cool season forages can be planted in fall. Cool season forages start to grow once the air and soil temperatures drop below 60 degrees. Just like warm season forages, they can be annual or perennial.

Cool Season Annuals

Here is a list of some cool season annuals that you can plant. Please contact your local co-op or a seed manufacturer to determine which is best for your area.

Cereal Grains

• Rye
• Oats
• Wheat
  

Legumes

• Austrian Winter Peas
• Annual Clovers (arrowleaf, berseem, crimson, rose, subterranean, yellow blossom)
• Blue Lupine
• Chicory
• Hairy Vetch
  

Forbs

• Rape
• Kale
• Turnips
  

We rotate cool season annuals with some of our warm season annuals. We mow the warm season annuals down in August a couple of weeks before fall planting. Don’t mow everything down though, as you need to leave something for your deer during the transition.

Last fall we planted rape, kale and turnips, and the deer did not touch it for a couple months. Brassicas (rape, kale, turnips) taste better to deer once the temperatures get colder. Also sometimes it takes deer a season to understand what the food source is.  That can happen when they become desperate and are trying to survive the winter. 

We had a fairly hard winter here in Virginia, with three snows of more than 20”. The deer were digging through two feet plus of snow to get to these plots. When spring came, the deer were eating up the new growth from these annuals.

Read about cool season perennials and more at HuntersClub.com

The Whitetail Institute’s Imperial Power Plant is a variety of warm season annuals, including soybeans, cow peas, lablab, sorghum and sunflowers.   With the promise of “more tonnage per acre than any other spring/summer annuals”, Power Plant was on my list of food plot seed to try in the spring of 2010.

Sunflowers and sorghum are not something you would normally plant for deer, but there is a method behind the madness.  The sunflowers and sorghum actually provide structure for the legumes to grow up and around.  This keeps the legumes from growing along the ground and possibly stunting their growth.

In addition we also release quail on our farm, so the sorghum can provide them some nutrition in the colder months ahead.

Preparation

The Whitetail Institute recommends planting Power Plant once the soil temperatures in your region reach at least a constant 55-60 degrees.   The main reason is that soybeans have much greater success when planted at this temperature.

They also recommend a soil PH of 7, disking the area at least 4-6 inches deep, and disking lightly after broadcast-spreading the seed.

NOTE: We spray our warm season annual plots with 41% glyphosate early in the spring well in advanced of planting.  It takes 10-14 days for the glyphosate to do its job and be safe for planting. We also lime and fertilize based on the PH of the soil and the recommendations for the seed we are planting.

How We Planted It

There were two food plots in which we planted Power Plant.  In the last week of May, we had some pretty warm temperatures here in Virginia and the soil temperature was right at 55.  The decision was made to plant the first food plot. 

First Plot

This plot is the largest, around ¾ of an acre, fairly rocky and slightly sloped.  The PH was right around 7 and the soil was fairly easy to disk up because we had tilled it the year before.  We removed the larger rocks by hand and we ended up with a pretty clean bed.

We decided to try something new with this plot, so we only planted Power Plant around the perimeter.  The intention was to use Power Plant’s sorghum and sun flowers as cover for the deer as they munched on the Imperial Clover that we planted in the middle.

Second Plot

We decided to wait a couple of weeks before planting the second food plot, which is about ¼ of an acre.  This was to test the difference that soil temperature would make as well as hedge our bets with the weather.  The plot had a slightly lower PH, was level to sloping, and was less rocky than the first plot.  The entire plot was planted in Power Plant.

Read more and find out the results on HuntersClub.Com