Alright so I know for many us this time of year is for planning our turkey season or getting the boat cleaned up and ready to reel in some bigguns (currently doing a boat project myself). However, this time of year as I've stressed is CRUCIAL for the deer hunter wanting to max their potential for succes the coming year.
Now obviously there is more than 5 things I could recommend you do this time of year but here's a very limited and hard to compile top 5:
#1-Gear check-ups and size-ups.
Our gear is quite possibly the most important thing we have when it comes to our harvesting ability (second only to the combo of luck and location). So here's a common checklist I use as a run down of my gear:
-Boots, are they still in good shape? Are they washed in scent away and stored appropriately?
-Camouflage Clothing, is any of in need of replacement due to fading, ripping or waist size increase (haha!)?
-Gun (if gun hunting), is it properly cleaned thoroughly and stored and ready for next use?
-Bow, do I want to keep same arrow, rest, sight, quiver etc... or am I changing it up? (a after season bow check up wouldn't hurt at a good pro-shop or yourself if knowledgeable)
-Treestands, have I taken down ones that I want down? Checked all cables on ones to be taken down and left up? ****Shootinglanes! Yes, these can be encouraged now and make some very natural looking shooting lanes if cut now while out checking and pulling treestands.
I think you get the picture...lots and lots to do with this first thing.
#2 "Thank You's" and "May I's"
Write thank you letters to EVERY SINGLE property owner that let you hunt on their property this past year. I don't care if it was only hunted once or was a mere 1 acre piece next to your house, WRITE THEM. This is the way you hang onto properties, and believe or not you may gain other places to hunt by treating them so nice. People talk, you never know who that land owner may know and share their great experience letting someone hunt. By thanking them you can also at times use them as references...yes that's right references. I'll cover that more when I write an entire post dedicated to writing hunting request letters to people, but just take my advice and write a real nice thank you letter and if possible throw a gift card of some kind inside of it....it could be the difference between you hunting there next year or them letting someone else. *This is also the perfect time to start writing formal requests to hunt people's properties. (will be covered in a future post)
#3 Trees...bushes...shrubs
Now is the time to cut trees, hinge trees, plant trees or bushes in an attempt to create a better whitetail habitat. The stress level of the hunting season has lessoned and what you scare off your ground now, will have plenty of weeks and even months to filter back in; getting back into their normal patterns well before the upcoming season.
#4 Food Plot Prep
Review what worked last year and what didn't...and creating a plan for the upcoming planting seasons. Clear any new areas you want to plant, gather soil samples to test and don't hesitate to start tilling/raking up spots the second the frost threat is gone!
#5 Start practicing now
This is especially critical if you're a bow hunter. Start practicing the second you have what your set up will be for the coming year. Get into a habit, maybe every Thursday night you'll go shoot 6 arrows minimum...doesn't sound like much but it will keep you fresh and may just help you make that 30 yard shot at the buck of your dreams.
That's it for now fellas from me. Plenty more to come as we look towards the 2012 hunting season already...as always good luck out there.
God Bless
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