Huntin' Fishin' and Lovin' Everyday? I Wish!!!

Huntin', fishin', and lovin' everyday.  I must say that I have not been the biggest fan of the last 10 or 15 years or so of country music.  I heard this song awhile back.  Probably when it was new and thought "Hey, I actually like that song!" and that IS "THE PRAYER that this country boy (from the city) prays."  But, not really being into today's country, I wasn't listening to stations or playlists to hear that song, so I never heard it again until recently.

Before I left for my Port Mansfield trip, I took a little afternoon of kayaking with the kids.  For the hour or so that it takes to get there, I started a Pandora station based on the song Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band.  It was a song I thought of that was fairly recent that
I liked. The purpose of this station was that it was music we could all stand to listen to.  While we were listening to that station, Huntin',  Fishin, and Lovin' Everyday came on.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Now, I'm not saying I am now a fan of today's country.  Still way too many references to smoking pot for me.  I'm sure that makes me prudish or an old fart or something along those lines, but hey at least I have my principles.  However, I may be slipping into becoming somewhat of a Luke Bryan fan.  How can I not when he puts out songs like Huntin', Fishin' and Lovin' Everyday?

I have been singing it in my head for the last several weeks like that song that you just can't get out of your head.  You know, like the fly that keeps buzzing around that you keep swatting at but it keeps coming back?!?  Yeah that one.  Except I actually WANT to sing this one... I guess you could say that it takes me to my "happy place".

Then the other day, I Googled the video.  The imagery in the video, the message of the song, and everything about it embodies the life I only wish I could live.  Only in my dreams.  From offshore fishing (bucket list) to a deer I would love to see, to family time outdoors, fly fishing (bucket list) a tree stand, a deer blind a Peacock Bass and family time around the campfire. Notice family time was in there twice? Just plain old FUN... OUTDOORS.  I can't imagine a better life. Huntin' Fishin' & Lovin' Everyday!

Would you add anything?  Would you give all you have to live this life?  A new friend of mine who is a baseball coach at a much higher level than I will ever be just told me today that if given the choice to give up hunting or baseball, he would give up baseball.  What would you give up? Leave a comment here or on the Facebook page.

46 Outdoors Prepare and Pursue Hunting Checklist for July

Photo: Chris Carson

July in Texas... What can anyone say about July in Texas?  It's hot and miserable, but if you love the outdoors, you embrace the heat.  Heat is part of deal here in the Lonestar State.  When the fireworks are over, it's a grind to get through the dog days of summer to those first few "cool fronts" usually in late August that plunge temps into the lower 90's.  I have always looked forward to August 15 as the date that the tide turns on the heat of summer.

As hot as it is, there are still things that must be done to PREPARE for the upcoming hunting season, and even better, there are still species to PURSUE.

A couple words of caution... Stay hydrated and keep an eye peeled for snakes!


Check out your 46 Outdoors Prepare and Pursue Fishing Checklist for April...

• Water... is the highest priority.  Make sure there is a water source available.  If you have windmills and tanks, make sure everything is in working order. Bring some water in if you must.  Poly tanks are pretty inexpensive. Use the low profile tanks so that fawns can drink too.  That mature monster buck you want to shoot 5 or 6 years from now is just a fawn or yearling today. Clear out vegetation around tanks so that wildlife has easy access and good escape routes from predators.  
• Blinds... Finish those pesky repairs and new set ups.  If you've waited this long, shame on you! However sometimes the heat of summer brings about issues, get them fixed as they arise so that you don't have a problem on opening day.  Don't forget the wasp spray or you likely won't get near your blind.
• Feeders... I typically start bumping up my feed times about now.  Much of the vegetation is dying off and things are dry.  A little more food will keep more animals around this time of year, but if you don't have water, you won't have animals either.
• Feed The Roads... I like to feed the roads whenever I go the lease this time of year.  Deer are establishing patterns now that will carry through until the rut.  Even in areas where the deer go to acorns in the Fall, you will have more deer in your area if you feed roads. However, if you have cattle on your lease and you feed the roads, you will feed the cows, so skip this if that is the case for you. 
• Feeder Pens...  Make sure you feeders are penned up.  Cattle and hogs will do a number on you equipment if you don't.
• Hunt for predators, and hogs... I'm not going to the lease without hunting something. Many times that means night hunting.  Keep that fawn crop healthy by keeping those predators at bay.  I have seen a hog run off with a fawn too, so use this opportunity to put some pork chops on the table.

Photo: Chris Carson

If you've been keeping up with the Prepare and Pursue checklist, July should be a piece of cake.  I do my best to get most of these things done in the cooler months so that when I make my trip to the lease in July, all I have to do is feed the feeders and roads morning, and nap in the afternoon.  Then in the evening, I take the family on a little wildlife drive. Watch the sunset over the mesquite and head out for some night hunting. The rest of the month, you can usually find me on the water somewhere. If you haven't figured it out yet, that's the beauty of the list.  It allows me to spend most of the summer fishing!

We carry a few products at Twisted Oak to help you with the night hunting.  From lighting solutions by Sniper Hog Lights to predator calls, hog attractants, and bug spray, we have what you need.  

46 Outdoors Adventure Files: Whitetail FAIL and What I Learned

Take a kid HUNTING!
Photo: Chris Carson

Usually, my final hunt of deer season is an annual hunt with my brother, his in-laws, and a few of his friends.  We share stories and pictures, eat some incredible meals, catch up with each other, and enjoy fellowship with family and friends.  Almost secondarily, we hunt, we kill, and we process much of the meat that will become meals for our families and friends.

I say secondarily, but in reality, this is a high fenced ranch under MLD permits, and we are there to do a job.  We are usually tasked with shooting does to keep the herd in balance and occasionally, we get a "hit list" of certain deer that need to be removed because of poor genetics or some other reason. Aside from the food, friends, family, and fellowship, we get to see some magnificent deer.

The last few years, for differing reasons, I have only been able to make it down for a day or even just an evening hunt.  This past season was no exception to that as I arrived about 2:30 on Friday afternoon and had to get back for something (probably baseball) on Saturday morning.

I met the guys at the skinning rack where they were finishing boning out a few deer shot the night before.  Once that was done, we headed back to the bunkhouse and began preparing for the evening hunt and getting an idea on where everyone was going to hunt.

My brother had asked his father-in-law (the land owner) about a buck he had seen that morning.  He was an 8 point that had been fighting and had broken off all his points on one side. The decision was made to take this deer out if it was seen.  I was also told to shoot a 6 point that had long hair and it's tongue was hanging out if I had a shot.

I was set up in a blind with an oat patch to the southwest, and a sendero to the northwest.  The wind was blowing from the south east.  It was early to mid January in South Texas a couple weeks or so post-rut.  A young buck came out shortly after I was dropped off to feed on the corn dropped in the road as my ride left to drop someone else.

About an hour later, with the young buck still eating, a few yearlings and young bucks came out down the sendero near the feeder.  I watched them for a good 20 minutes or so when a few more bucks started showing up, one of which was a buck that had a main beam with all three broken tines on the right and 4 points on the left.  I texted my brother to let him know what I was seeing and whether this was the deer he was talking about.  We decided that this deer was much younger than the one he had seen and passed.

I settled into watching the deer I couldn't shoot, when a big deer came to the feeder.  This was one of the group of deer known as "The Bubbas".  I had a great view of this deer through my binoculars.  I wanted to get a good picture of it, but all I had was my iPhone.  At 100 yards, a zoomed in photo was grainy and the deer looked small.  Without the zoom, this big bruiser looked like an ant with a bush on it's head.  I really do need to invest in a good camera!

As the evening wore on, the bucks all slowly left the sendero and a whole herd of does and yearlings
started showing up in the oats.  I quickly began to try to track which ones had fawns and which ones didn't.  As more and more deer showed up, it became increasingly more difficult to tell does from button bucks.  I noticed a deer on it's own on the south side of the pasture.  I looked her over and decided this was an old doe with no fawns making her a great candidate.  The way the blind was oriented, I put my rifle through the window on my left and set up for that shot.  I put the cross hairs on the old doe and waited for her to turn broadside.  As I was waiting, I was continually looking out the window that was in front of me to check on the rest of the herd to make sure I wasn't getting busted by them.

What seemed like an eternity later, I glanced out that window and saw something weird.  I did a double take.  My rifle still hanging out the window to my left, I brought my binoculars up and looked over the stock to see if I could identify this deer.  The best way I can describe it is that it looked like a miniature elk.  It was the strangest thing.  It had long hair on it's neck and shoulders; maybe a little reddish or brindle in color.

I moved my rifle from one window to the other.  Immediately, I began looking for a tongue that was hanging out.  The sun was beginning to set behind an overcast sky and while it looked up, I saw something dangling from it's mouth.  I couldn't be sure it was his tongue though and it gave me pause.  I kept looking.

I confirmed 6 points and was thinking this had to be the freak of nature they were describing.  I kept looking for the tongue to confirm the three characteristics I was given.  As my scope actually gathers more light than my bino's do, I was looking through the scope to confirm this deer's identity.  This deer must have had it's head down between rows for a good 5 minutes at a time.  Finally, he looked up and I saw that tongue just dangling out of the side of it's mouth.  This was a "hit list buck".  I was ready.  I settled into a comfortable position and waited for this deer to give me a good shot. When it did, I squeezed the trigger.

Take another kid HUNTING!
Photo: Chris Carson

The deer jumped forward, turned around and began running across the field.  I knew something didn't seem right.  I watched as this deer high tailed it across the pasture expecting it to crash or stop and keel over.  About 1/2 way across the field, I realized that wasn't going to happen.  I had already racked another shell, because I make it a habit to do so for just this situation, but I lost the angle on him and had to pull the rifle out of one window and put it back in the other.  I got back on him just in time to see him jump the fence and disappear into the brush.

I got down and went looking for blood or hair or any sign that my bullet made contact with the freak of nature, but sadly... I MISSED!

I couldn't believe it.  I don't miss very often.  In fact, I can't remember the last time I flat out missed an animal altogether.  I've mad some bad shots before and had to track them a ways, but I don't think I ever remember a flat out miss since I was a kid trying to shoot my first deer.

I have waited several months to write this, because I wanted to confirm my suspicions.  I recently took a trip to the range and confirmed my theorey.

That day, when I was getting ready, I realized as I was loading my rifle that I had two different rounds for that caliber.  I knew I had only bought one box of ammo.  It took me about a week or so to remember that a friend had found a box of Nossler bullets he knew I liked and bought them for me.  They were a different grain than what I had sighted in with and as such I put the box away in my gun case.  I guess I must have left a few in my backpack though and they mad their way into the pocket I keep where I keep my ammo.  One was longer and one was shorter.  I guess I picked the wrong one, Because the other shell I had in my hand that day hit the bullseye at 100 yards.

I was disappointed that I missed, but I always try to learn something from my mistakes.  My lesson here is to always check your packs, keep them organized and store your equipment properly.  It's a pain to pack and unpack every time you go, but a little extra time spent packing and unpacking won't be too painful.  I for one, assume that I have what I need in my backpack, because I never unpack it. Several years ago, I scouted the morning of opening day of rifle season because I went to the blind a left my magazine and shells at camp.  The fact of the matter is you don't know if it's there unless you pack it yourself... and even then it's sketchy at best (at least for me anyway)!  

 

Hunting or Fishing? Happy I Can't Decide!

Cole's First Fish
Photo: Mike Carden

I don’t remember catching my first fish, but thanks to a photo of the occasion, I can tell you who was there, about how old I was, and what I was wearing.  The species of fish was a little cloudy to me until recently when a friend and I found ourselves bored and the topic was raised. Thank goodness for Google.  I don’t think I have ever caught another fish that looked as ugly as that one! It is safe to say I have been fishing as long as I can remember.  If I am not mistaken, my first real hunting trip took place about age 12.

I owe my love of the outdoors to my older brother, Chuck.  In a recent trip taking my 10 year old son, Cole fishing, Chuck told him “your dad and I just drove around the state of Texas figuring it out”. Chuck was in high school and college and I was in elementary and middle school when that was happening.  I think it was more like he figured it out and showed me how to do it.  However, I did appreciate his including me in the credits there.

When I was a kid, I remember my grandpa referring to fishing as “drowning worms”, yet I'm told that he did enjoy hunting.  Unfortunately I never knew that side of him.  I have also known people who love to fish, but can’t stand to hunt.  I find humor in the fact that they complain about the same thing.  Drowning worms implies that fishing is boring.  People who aren’t excited about hunting are complaining that sitting in a deer blind for hours on end is boring.

Hondo Sunset & Hartcraft Broadheads
Photo: Chris Carson

Aquatic life or land loving mammals... It makes no difference to me.  I will stalk a redfish on the flats or deer in the woods. Also, as I have mentioned plenty of times before, there is something peaceful about sitting in a deer blind with no cell phone ringing or walking down a path with a pail of worms much like Opie on the way to a favorite fishing hole.  These are times to connect with our Maker and appreciate the abundance of beauty there is in this world whether it’s a beautiful green sea with a thin line of blue water on the horizon or a fiery sunset from the blind.  

I really don’t understand why some hunters don’t like to fish and some fishermen don’t like to hunt. Stalking and sight casting to a redfish in skinny water or a bass on the bed is no different than stalking a land animal.  Many hunters enjoy a good spot and stalk, and many fishermen enjoy sitting on a pier for hours on end.

I suppose the difference is that more often than not, when a hunter pulls the trigger or releases an arrow, the projectile finds it’s mark.  Many times a fisherman casts his bait into what seems like nothingness. Sometimes fish are finicky and don’t want the bait, color, or size you are throwing.  Fish can also be difficult to find if you don't have a boat with electronics.  "95% of the fish are in 5% of the water" is how I think the saying goes.  I would say that probably applies to wildlife and land too, but I guess it's easier to see them.  I do appreciate the challenge of "looking" (or HUNTING) for fish when you can't see them, but it can also be frustrating at times.  Sometimes you just have to grind it out.

Chris Castro of Next Level Fishing TV
Photo: Chris Castro

There will always be varying degrees of craziness associated with these endeavors.  Call it extreme if you will, but I must confess being somewhat drawn to them myself.  I have recently made friends with a group of guys, one of which is Chris Castro from Next Level Fishing TV.  Check out their YouTube channel in the link.  These guys go offshore kayak fishing for species one can find in the open waters and depths of the Gulf of Mexico.

Then you have folks like Cameron Hanes who puts it all on the line in the mountains of Alaska and other WILD places.  Check out his video here.  Whether close enough for a bow shot on a bear, or hanging on to a dall sheep that is mortally wounded and about to go over a ledge in the mountains of Alaska, he puts his life at risk in extreme conditions to to get the kill.

I too have dabbled in the extreme side of hunting. I can say that I have been swimming in the Trinity River with a hog while hunting with dogs trained to hunt hogs in some of the thickest briars and brambles East Texas has to offer.  A very strenuous and thrilling endeavor indeed.  I only wish I had a video of that!

Truth be told, I would take it any way it comes, fishing, hunting, or their extreme versions, it’s all the same to me.  I would like to be in much better shape than I currently find myself.  I’m not getting any younger, but then again… That’s a good reason to get myself back in shape.  My bucket list isn’t getting any shorter!

Have you had any extreme hunting or fishing experiences? Do you like one and not the other?  Share you comments with us here or on our facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/46outdoors/

Why do I hunt and Fish? It's A Way of Life

A day's work in the Lower Laguna Madre
Photo: Cole Carson

The other day, I had someone ask me why I hunt.  It kind of took me by surprise.  This person is more of an acquaintance than anything.  Just someone I see picking up the kids at school or at the park.  I guess living in Texas with very little resistance to my lifestyle, I have become complaisant in not having to defend my choices when it comes to hunting and fishing the way many people do in other states.

My answer was basically "because I want to" with a dose "how dare you question my way of life" attitude.  Then, it dawned on me that this person was trying to have an intelligent conversation as to why I like to hunt.  I could tell by this time that this person felt like she crossed a line by asking the question.  I tried to circle back to the conversation, but she didn't want to talk about it.  By the time that awkward conversation or lack thereof was over, I was disappointed in myself for not articulating myself in an intelligent manner.  In retrospect, I was truly surprised by the question, but my inability to give a thoughtful, accurate, and detailed response probably served to strengthen even the tiniest amount of contempt for my way of life.

My way of life... Let's think about that for a minute.  I live in the city, there is a grocery store 5 minutes from my house.  My daily routine involves shuttling kids around, baseball practices, games, tournaments, grocery shopping, work, etc., all the usual stuff most of us do.  As I write this, I can hear the traffic on a major highway.  So, how can hunting and fishing be a way of life?  Well, I guess when you compare that to life in rural Alaska or living off the land where your survival is at stake, it can be a tough case to make.

A rare moment of peace between brother and
sister brought to you by a peaceful setting
Photo: Chris Carson

Consider for a moment though, the things you find in your food.  If you eat meat from a grocery
store, the growth hormones and other toxic trash you are putting in your body is mind blowing.  The apple you had for a snack was likely sprayed with pesticide, and genetically engineered to taste a certain way or have a certain color or be a certain size, or more accurately produce a certain amount of money. I seriously doubt that the health benefits are anywhere near what they once were.  But to me this begs the question... If we can genetically engineer these things, why can't we engineer healthier, better tasting foods?

The answer I came up with is this: We can't beat nature. Nature produces the things we need to fuel our bodies.

There is also something uniquely satisfying about bringing home dinner.  I have always been a meat and potatoes kind of guy, but when you harvest your meat, gut and skin the animal yourself, cut your dinner off the bone, grind it or tenderize it, season it and cook it yourself... To quote Kenyon Bankston of Southern Boyz Outdoors; "It just don't get no better than this!"

In Genesis 1:26 God gave man dominion. He intended for us to live and thrive upon what He created. Some will bring up Matthew 5:5 in response to this and say "The meek shall inherit the earth". Let's take a look at that word "meek".  Notice it does not say "weak".  Some synonyms for the word "meek" are: mild, humble, and modest. I call this "quiet confidence" with my baseball players.  With confidence comes strength and tenacity. An antonym is pride.

A nice typical 8pt. buck near Hondo, TX
Photo: James Plant

Then there is the argument for conservation.  Without hunters hunting these animals, overpopulation would be detrimental; not only to the animal, but it's food and water sources as well.  The natural ecology would be thrown out balance.  Disease and hardship for these animals, especially in years of drought, would be devastating to their numbers and the plants, insects, and other food sources along with other animals that use the same food and water sources.  The damage to the eco-system would be exponential.  One of their natural predators is humans. Take hunters out of the mix and you will have a problem of gigantic proportions.

To those that would argue that "Shooting a deer at 100 yards is too easy." I would say this: one of the greatest advantages we were born with is the ability for critical thinking, problem solving, and an opposable thumb. Many animals are blessed with speed or strength and carry their own weapons as body parts.  Hunters were blessed with the ability to outwit their prey as well as design and build their weapons.

Sunset from a ground blind near Hondo, TX
Photo: Chris Carson

Then there are the things I get to see that most people either don't have the opportunity to see or don't appreciate.  Last August during my fishing trip to Port Mansfield, we saw a sea turtle that was about as big as the hood of my truck!  I have also seen an otter in Rebecca Creek.  I thought it was an otter, but had to look it up online.  I had no idea that there were otters in Texas.  I have also seen strutting turkeys, bobcats, foxes, a mountain lion, and a badger.  All of them just doing what they do in their natural habitat.  Then there are always the fiery sunsets, sunrises, the sounds or even the quiet time nature provides.  I feel blessed to be able to experience all these things.  Of course it is not required to have a weapon in my hands when I see these things, but hunting and fishing trips provide the convenient opportunity to appreciate these things.

In short, I am an apex predator.  I take my place on top of the food chain as it should be; as it were meant to be.  Weather it's by rod and reel, bow, rifle, or any other (legal) means, I will do what I was designed to do by my Creator: hunt, fish, and provide for my family by outwitting my prey. To me, that is my way of life!

46 Outdoors Prepare and Pursue Hunting Checklist for March

Photo: Chris Carson

March in Texas and many southern states, where weather patterns can be unpredictable and ever changing; this can provide ample opportunity for hunting and fishing.  While we begin to enjoy longer days and some warmer weather, we can get our outdoors chore list done too.

Here is the 46 Outdoors Prepare and Pursue Hunting Checklist for March:

Shed Hunting.  A popular activity for the kids as well as the adults.  Get into the woods and start looking for antler sheds.  Most bucks will have shed their antlers by now. This is also a great way to begin scouting for next season.  Look for rub lines and scrapes that you may not have seen last year. These sheds are also a good way to find out which bucks made it through the season.  Look for identifiers such as point totals, and characteristics like sharp angles. Friendly wagers like total score on all sheds keeps it interesting. 

Look for roosting turkeys.  Turkey season begins in March. Start looking for those roosting birds. Look for places to set up on them.  Look for secondary areas and access routes in case you get busted.

Photo: Chris Carson

Practice your shooting. Weather you rifle hunt or bowhunt, it’s always a good idea to practice your shooting.  A little realistic practice may be in order too. Sometimes I use this time to varmint and predator hunt from my stand.  Small targets at long distances for rifle shooting is a great way to sharpen those skills.  From the bow stand, bring those critters in close and learn your distances, arc angles and other variables that will make you a better shooter. This also helps keep those predator populations in check.

Feeder Maintenance. If you are anything like me, by now your feeders are completely empty.  Use this time to perform some annual maintenance to your feeders.  Clean them out, tighten any bolts, screws, nuts that are loose. Seal holes in the drums. Look for worn out parts and replace them. Oil moving parts with some 3 in 1 oil. Touch up or repaint. Check the legs and make sure everything is anchored well. If your feeders are penned up to keep livestock out, check your fences and gates.

Photo: Chris Carson

Stand/Blind Maintenance.  Fix stand problems.  Check your ladders or stairs for unsafe conditions.  Seal up cracks to keep wasps and other critters out. Touch up or repaint.  Start your remodeling projects. How many times during deer season did you think about adding a shelf over there or a gun rack over here? Too noisy? Add carpet. Rework your windows and doors. I can’t begin to tell you how many projects I thought up while sitting in the stand.  Now is a great time to start those projects.

Plant Food Plots.  Bucks, does and fawns will all appreciate your effort in providing a spring and summer food source.  Deer get a significant amount of water from the water in the plants they eat. This will help your does that are carrying fawns and lactating throughout the summer along with those big bucks in bachelor groups. If you are thinking about planting a food plot, now is the time.

Clear and tweak your shooting lanes.  If you need to clear your shooting lanes, now is a good time to do so.  The issues you may have had during deer season are fresh in your mind.  Also, it will leave much less work to do in the heat of August if you do it before all the spring growth.

Photo: Texas Parks & Wildlife

Turkey Season.  Turkey season begins in March. Get out there and use that MRI (Most Recent
Intelligence) you gathered from the beginning of this article to start calling in those gobblers!

Hog Hunting.  If you are in Texas, these pesky critters are open season and sausage, ribs and ham are good any time of year.

Enjoy your time in the woods. Take a kid hunting.  Spring is the best time of year to introduce kids to the outdoors.  Take them for a walk in the woods or a wildlife drive at dusk.  Let them drive on the dirt roads on private property and teach them about nature. Even the most girly, girl or screen addicted child who does not want anything to do with hunting or fishing will enjoy the sight of the wildflowers, seeing a deer, or just about anything unusual we come across in nature. Be prepared for questions. Who knows, it might just open the door for another outdoors enthusiast.

Deer Season Recap & A Plan For 2016/2017

A nice 8 point Jan. 2009

Several years ago, when my youngest son was born, I came to the conclusion that it was time to get off my deer lease.  After several successful seasons of management and letting deer walk in hopes of shooting a mature buck one day, I was now going to let someone else shoot those deer.  However, I knew that with a baby on the way, mounting bills, and the lack of time I would have to hunt, it was the best thing I could do for my family. Over the course of the next several years, I saw my friends taking bigger more mature deer than I ever have. Nothing like pouring salt in the wound!Fast forward a couple more years and now I am back on the lease.

Back in September, just before bow season opened, we invited Don Bell, creator of Top Secret Deer Scents to Twisted Oak to give a seminar on hunting the rut.  It was a very interesting, and very entertaining seminar that covered the pre, peak, and post-rut activities of the Whitetail Deer, and the use of scents and calls.  The information shared, made me think about the way we hunt in Texas (over baited areas) versus the way many other states hunt (where it is against the law to bait).  

The difference in my mind being that basically, here in Texas, we alter the deer's natural travel corridors by placing feeders to draw them to a specific spot.  We also open up wide shooting lanes along their trail which also has to have an effect on their travels.  Now, don't get me wrong, most hunters are smart enough to place their feeder and stand locations along travel routes to begin with, but not necessarily in areas where a deer would normally stop to browse.  Other times, these feeders placed in oat fields, where deer come to graze.

The way I understand it, (which is from watching TV, and I could be totally wrong here) in other states where baiting is illegal, stands are placed in locations where deer funnel into pastures to graze and browse.  Some states don't even allow hunting over standing crops, so stand locations are forced further back into wooded areas on natural travel routes; and hunters are left to hunt over scrapes and other areas deer are known to travel.  

So, my question became... Do scents and calls work with the way we hunt in Texas?  I believe it's a topic worth researching.  So, I began looking for rubs and scrapes more actively.  I have seen them before, but never really paid much attention to them.  They merely reinforced in my mind that I had placed my feeder in a location where deer were known to travel. Good info to have, but what do you do with that info?  Well, Don answered that question with some great knowledge like when to use which scent, how to apply it, where to apply it and how to change a nockturnal buck's pattern.  I would not do it justice by trying to explain it here, so check out this video.  It's over an hour in length, but as I said, he is pretty entertaining.

Sunset from the bow stand. Near Hondo, TX

The lease I am on, is small and split by a Farm to Market road.  We all have our even smaller areas that we hunt. So, the idea of hunting a specific deer or a scrape/rub line doesn't seem to be very plausable unless it just happens to be in the perfect place. A place where there are no safety concerns with shot direction, I have the right wind direction, can access the spot without spooking everything in the area, and the right buck is traveling that scrape/rub line.  

Since I am now new to the lease again, my area is one that is near the front gate, which has been hunted before, but with marginal results.  I am not sure why things have been so marginal as there is a pond nearby and many, many trails leading out of some of the best cover on the property and our neighbor's property.  This summer, you can bet there will be many scouting trips to figure out the pattern on all this and find the 2x4 walls (as Don likes to put it). 

My season this year was a tough one. Going on what little I knew from my history on the lease 5 years prior, I set things up in a manner similar to the way it had been set up before.  Why would I expect different results?  Storm damage to my blind early in the season and abundant rain keeping things growing and limiting my vision didn't help much either.  

I harvested 2 hogs in my spot on the lease and never saw a deer from my primary blind, except on camera. All of which looked to be pretty young.  I did see what looked like a pretty mature 6 point that made the hit list, but I never saw him in person. It was a pretty poor year.  Toward the end of the year, I set up a secondary bow stand where I began to see what I thought might be a pattern.  If it is then I may have been parking in an area that cut off the deer headed my way. Most of the deer I saw from the bow stand were 150 yds away or more.  I did have some young bucks come into the bow stand on the trail I set with estrus during the peak of the rut.

I was a little disappointed in the way the season turned out, but it was good time spent with my kids. In the next month, I will make a trip or two out to do some shed hunting and begin my scouting for next season.  I like a challenge and look forward to a season full of trials and tribulations next year.  With any luck, I might learn something or even better, harvest the buck of a lifetime!    

8 Tips For Walking To Your Deer Stand

For quite some time now I have hunted on properties where I could drive (or be driven) to my stand. In fact, my friends and I have spent many a dollar on golf carts, ATVs, UTVs, and compact 4x4s, to get us to our stands. However, this year I find myself in the position of walking into my stand locations and this has had me thinking about preparing for that walk to my stand. How do I get there without spooking that big buck?

Fortunately, I have experience to draw on here as about 10 years or so ago I was on a lease where we walked to our stands. In my opinion, I think walking in is way over rated for a number of reasons, but that is another story (literally) and like it or not, I will be doing my share of it this season.

Control your scent... Go through your normal scent control routine and wear your scent controlled clothing. Use a cover scent if that is what you do.  I have been known to step in cow manure to kill the scent of the road and no telling what other scents are on my boots. (again, this is a another story by itself). Make sure you use a scent control spray AFTER you get out of the truck.

Carry a good flashlight (or headlamp) with a red filter or bulb (and a spare pack of batteries)...  Studies have shown that deer don't see the color red that well, go ahead and turn on that light.  It is much better to shine a red light than to trip over a rock or walk into a thorny situation.

Clear your path... Walk to your stand once or twice before deer season.  Make sure you path is clear of obstacles. Remember that something as simple as brushing up against a limb can leave human odor. When clearing that path, don't be stingy cutting that path back, but don't clear cut the forest either.

Mark your path... some landowners will frown upon the use of flagging tape and for good reason. I wouldn't want orange flags all over my property. If this is an issue, lay some tree branches down along the path at intervals and fashion them into arrows if necessary to point the way. Don't rely on landmarks. Even if you don't want others hunting your stands, you really don't want them wandering all over you area looking for your hidden stand. By the way, I have ended up lost headed to my own stand before, so don't think it won't happen to you.

Keep your backpack organized and quiet... Invest in a good QUIET backpack that will carry what you need to the stand.  When purchasing a backpack, rub it against itself or your clothes and think about what and how you will wear it. How much noise will in make? I once had a backpack that had so many pockets and crevices that I had to wad up a jacket and put it in the main pocket just to have something in there to give it some body.  I was glad I did though, because the jacket came in handy once when a cold front blew in while I was in the stand. Also, you are constantly handling that pack. It probably has snacks in it (or did at some point), or it rode in the truck with you, so don't forget to give it some attention during your scent routine. Stow all your gear and don't let items dangle.

Carry a deer call... If you stumble or crash into a bush, let out a bleat or grunt and pause for a few seconds.  Animals wander around at night too. Make them think you are just passing through.  Remember, you don't know if they are there or not, and they won't want to blow their cover if you aren't right on top of them. If you do stumble upon a deer bedded down, keep moving and don't make eye contact.  If you walk right on by, they might not run so far.

Photo by: Chuck Crowsey

Enter your stand early...  When heading out to your stand, think about getting there early.  Most of the time, a deer won't bolt out of a bedding area unless they are completely spooked. So, if you are detected and you can get there without completely spooking them, you might get a second chance if you can get settled quickly and wait them out.

Treat your daytime walk to the stand like a spot and stalk hunt... Always carry your bow or rifle as you would if you were going to stalk a deer to kill it, because you just might. Of course, gun and bow safety always comes first, but stop and glass every now and then; move slowly and methodically. I once had a hunting buddy tell me a story about jumping a buck on the way to his stand.  He was unprepared for the encounter. While he was in a stare down with this animal he was fumbling around for ammo and this big buck bolted before he could get a round chambered. While it made for a great story back at camp, it would have been better over fresh backstrap!

In general, the same rules apply.  You must fool the eyes, ears and nose to fool the deer.  This is not an easy task and can be tricky, but if you follow the simple guidelines above, you will minimize your chances of spooking that big buck.  It's not just the buck you have to worry about.  While that doe or little spike is blowing and stomping, and you are staring at each other trying not to move, that big buck is slipping off undetected.

So, what about you?  Feel free to comment and let me know... What do you do to slip into your stand undetected?

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