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!

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.