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)!  

 

46 Outdoors Prepare and Pursue Hunting Checklist for April

April is a beautiful month in Texas!  Temperatures are still relatively cool.  The wildflowers are in bloom and nature is alive.  Abundant wildlife roam the mountains, hills, plains, canyons, plateaus, and coastal regions of our great state. There are many things for the sportsman to do this month.

Here is your April edition of the Prepare & Pursue Hunting Checklist...

Clean that shotgun. There is one sound in the woods this time of year that a hunter desperately wants to hear; and that is the gobble of old Mr. Longbeard.  Turkey season is upon us, and all we can think about is calling in a big ol' Tom.  Clean that shotgun and go huntin'!

Photo: Chris Carson

Feeders.  Keep those feeders filled. Does are pregnant and will be dropping fawns soon.  Ample food supply is key to their survival.  Don't for get that big buck either.  I once heard that deer antlers are the fastest growing tissue on the planet.  Pack some veins on that velvet popping out with a protein supplement.  Come December, you'll be glad you did!  Check the batteries an solar panels in motorized feeders and finish any unfinished maintenance issues you need to from March.

Blinds.  Finish up those lingering blind improvements.  You don't want to get caught up dealing with those last minute issues in early Fall because you procrastinated now.  If you are switching stands or scouting new areas, finalize those decisions soon.

Food Plots.  Plant those food plots if you didn't get them in last month.  Those pregnant and soon to be nursing does and their fawns will be grateful.  So will you when you shoot a healthy, mature deer.

Practice.  Never stop practicing.  Mix it up.  Shoot some long distances for fun.  Going above and beyond the shot you will make in the field will keep you sharp for the hunt.  Practice, practice, practice!

Photo: TPWD

Hunt turkeys.  Look for those turkeys roosting in the evening and set up on them before first light. Don't go back to the cabin too early, look and listen for those gobblers in the late morning hours when the hens go off to lay eggs and tend to their nest.  Gobblers will be looking for other hens at this time... Wait them out!

Hunt hogs.  Your local farmers and ranchers will thank you for depredation hunting these pesky, ever-reproducing, menacing swine.  Hogs are a damaging to crops, kill small livestock and fawns, and tear up the land, fences, and more.

Hunt more turkeys.  This is the fun stuff we like to do as hunters.  Don't make it all work! spend some time enjoying what we do in the outdoors!

Hunt predators and varmints.  Pregnant does need your help! Keep those predators under control.  It is a great idea to do this before the fawns hit the ground.  Fawns are an easy meal for a coyote or a bobcat.

Hunt more turkeys... You get the idea!

We all have our favorite animals to hunt.  If you can't tell, I'm a big fan of turkey hunting.  The interactive process of the hunt and knowing I called a gobbler in to dance with the decoy is one of the most exciting things I can think of doing.  There are plenty of things to hunt this month, so get busy!  But, don't forget the chores too.

One last thing to add to the list... Go FISHING!

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.