Thinking Ahead
This mornings hunting results ended with nothing again. I got in the woods right before daylight and with the wind out of the NW decided to just hunt from the ground along the small creek that runs through our property. I set up against a big hickory tree and just waited awhile. My setup was perfect for the view and wind direction, but stupid me thinking it was only gonna get down to about 40 degrees opted not to wear my insulated bibs.
To make a long story short, by 9:00 am sitting on the cold ground I was freezin’, so I decided to move and just still hunt into the wind along the creek. Don’t know for sure what the temp actually was, but I know that the small pond on the backside of our property had ice and frost around the edges, so it was well below 40.
Good news is that while I was easing along the creek, I found lots more rubs and also narrow places where I could see deer had been crossing. Also realized that the fields that border our property that were green not more than 3 week ago, are all just dead grass now. I had thought it might have been wheat or something planted for their cows they have but guess I was wrong. So all in all it was a good morning I learned a few more things about the area. I have about made up my mind just to chalk this season up as a bad one, and just start focusing and preparing for next season. After all I did manage to take a buck, just not a monster like I dream about.
I know now that all I have to do, since I know so much more about the area, is make it more attractive and huntable for deer. My plans are gonna start right after the first of the year. First thing I plan to do is widen the path through the center of the property a little bit, between the cedar thicket and the creek so I can see a little further and cover more ground. Next I will build a box stand and place a corn feeder and some salt licks off to the side of the path to maybe help attract them a little more. The main reason I am building the box blind, is so that I can take the kids, one at a time of course, and they can be comfortable and not have to sit just still as a rock. And even if all they see are does, I want them to be able to see deer when they go so they will not lose interest.
I already have an aerial map of my place so I plan on placing my other stands in about four other spots around the property, 2 morning sites and 2 evening sites, so that I will have a stand to hunt for whatever the prevailing winds are for that day. And no matter what if the wind is wrong for a stand it will not be hunted, and any time the wind is swirling and shifting around, no matter how bad I want too, I will not hunt at all that day! It may sound like that I am getting too anal about it, but I am trying to really turn this place into a great spot not only for me, but for the 5 kids me and Michele have between us. I want them to be successful and see deer and other wildlife, after all they don’t get a whole lot of time with school and everything, so I have to make the best of what time they have.
The last thing I will do, besides maybe setting up a couple more feeders, will be to plant about a acre and a half along the edges of the woods behind our camp trailer house, in a mixture of wheat, oats, and winter peas around the first of September. Not planting it so much to hunt over, but to give the does and yearlings something to munch on, and to keep them comin through our woods and hanging around close by. Because we all know the does are what keeps the bucks coming through!
I have not givin up completely on this season, but I cannot help but get excited when I think about getting the place ready for next year and having a whole new fresh start. When I stop to think about it under the circumstances I really did not have that bad of a year after all. I got deer meat in the freezer, and seen quite a few deer for no more than I have done to the place. Also I know for a fact that several people went and looked at the property when it was for sale, so really there is no telling how many different people stomped around up in my new woods from August to the middle of October, me and my dad included. One of the main things the place probably needs is just a little cooling off period. When I get a few things done in there after the first of the year, that is exactly what it is gonna get.
Hope your season is turning out good, I will keep you posted on how things are coming along.