already would be. Who was I kidding?
There was a chill in the March air, but
not like November. The sunset was
perfect, but not like the partly cloudy
orange, red sunset of October.
property. Travel routes, like rubs are
easy to see this time of the year and
can help you by letting you know how
deer are using your property and what
direction of travel the deer are using.
This will let you know where to hang
stands and where to plant food plots.
Early spring is a great time to get out
in the woods and scout. I often find
that after a good scouting session, I
can’t wait for deer season because I
have learned so much information
that I can’t wait to use. The bonus
shed antler is always great too.
I guess I am obsessed. You would
have to be to think March felt like
November. But whitetails have a way
of doing that to a person. The
constant planning and thought. The
worry when a buck suddenly
disappears from trail camera photos.
The long nights trying to sleep, but all
you can think about is the “what if”.
What if it actually all comes together? Hinge Cutting
Isn’t that what we do this for? The
Another great early spring activity is
one time it all falls into place.
hinge cutting. This is a great way to
So, how do we get through the offmake your property more attractive to
season? An off-season that has only
deer. Hinge cutting involves cutting
just begun. Here are a few reasons to
partially through a small diameter
get off the couch this spring and get in
tree, then pushing the tree over so
touch with deer season once again.
that part of the tree is still connected
to the base. This allows the tree to
Scouting
survive for a limited amount of time,
The early part of the off-season
while providing food and cover. You
between February and March is a
can use hinge cuts in many ways. The
great time to get out in the woods and first is for screens. If you have access
to either look at a new property or
routes that require you to walk near
scout your old property again. When where deer may see you, you can use
scouting a new property it helps to
hinge cuts to create a visual block for
look at aerial maps first, to help you
the deer. You can also create screens
pinpoint a small area to scout on foot along the outside of your food plots.
once you get there. This helps you to This makes deer feel more secure
be more efficient when scouting and
while eating in your field and may
saves you time. Some of the main
entice them to enter the field earlier
signs to look for are rubs and deer
in the evening. You can also hinge cut
travel routes. Rub lines are easy to
trees to create more bedding cover.
find this time of the year and are a
Hinge cut trees at about the height of
great indicator of where bucks were
a little higher than your waist to create
traveling last year during the rut. You quality bedding cover. You can do this
can bet that bucks will be traveling the to enhance current bedding areas or
same routes again this year. Also look to create new bedding areas that
for where deer are traveling on your
make you a more efficient hunter, by
making deer bed where you want
them to. Also, while you have your
chain saw you can selectively cut a few
old, or nonproductive trees to allow
more light to the forest floor. This will
then create a rush of new growth in
late spring that makes great browse
and increases fawning cover.
Food Plots
Now is the time to start planning and
planting those food plots. Take
another look at your aerial maps and
start to plan what crops are going to
go where. Also, take a look at what
worked well last year and what didn’t
and adjust your plan. Make note of
how the deer were using your
property last hunting season. Where
can you plant a food plot that will
increase the deer movement through
your property? Once you have found
that spot, if it is an open area, what do
you need to do to prepare for
planting? Do you need to disk, spray
herbicide, control burn or a little of all
three? If this area is located in an area
with trees, do you need to remove any
trees or is it open enough already? If
trees need removed, now is a great
time to do that.
As you know it’s an addiction. I don’t
have to tell you that. You can feel it
too. Whitetails have a power over us
we will never be able to shake. Bucks
will eventually shed their velvet and
the leaves will change color. The
temperature change will no longer be
only in our imagination. The offseason can’t last forever. It will
eventually yield to fall. Get ready,
because whitetail season will be here
before you know it.
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