Hunting Tips

Alabama Mountain Man's Hunting Tips

* * * * * * * * * HUNTING TIP on LIMITED TIME* * * * * * * * *

When hunting time is limited such as on quick trips before or after work,

every second counts. Keep a complete outfit ready to go in one container such as a

gym bag or a five gallon bucket. The time you spend looking for socks or your hunting vest,

the more time you'll have to hunt. Do yourself a favor and take time to make sure the outfit

is complete again after you get back from your hunt. That's when you'll know what is dirty

or needs to be refreshed for the next trip.

* * * * * * * * * HUNTING TIP on GRUNT CALLS* * * * * * * * *

Grunt Call: When you're ready to use your grunt call, don't

begin by "grunting" at full volume. Start with some very

subtle grunts, just in case deer are close. You don't want

to sound like a 1,000-pound hog and spook a big buck that’s

just around the corner. Besides, a deer can hear that sound

from a much greater distance than humans, who do not normally

"tune in" to that frequency.

* * * * * * * * * HUNTING TIP on BOOTS * * * * * * * * *

Hunting Boots: Do not put on your hunting boots until you're

about to walk to your stand. Keep them bagged in the bed of

your truck or trunk of your car until you’re ready to hunt.

A lot of fully-garbed hunters stop at gas stations or

convenience stores on the way to the woods, and they leave

a trail tainted by gasoline, motor oil and/or transmission

fluid.

* * * * * * * * * HUNTING TIP on DEER TRAVEL* * * * * * * * *

Tilling for Tracks: If the ground on a deer trail is too dry

and hard, or if it’s covered with leaves, it’s nearly

impossible to tell if it’s being currently traveled. By using

a common garden rake to soften the soil on the trail and

clear a 6-foot length of the trail of leaves, you will be

able to see fresh tracks clearly. This is a handy procedure

where deer trails connect timbered habitat with agricultural

fields. You can till up a 6-foot length of trail where it

empties out of the timber into a field where the deer are

feeding and never even have to go into the woods. If you want

to know whether tracks are being made during the day or at

night, check your tilled trail at dawn and then again at

dusk, tilling the trail each time to remove previous tracks.

* * * * * * * * * HUNTING TIP on PUBLIC LAND * * * * * * * * *

If you're planning to visit a wildlife management area,

national forest or other public hunting tract, try contacting

the area biologist or conservation officer to ask him or her

about deer sightings. These folks often are not allowed to

hunt the tracts they oversee, but they probably know more

about the local deer population than any other source.

* * * * * * * * * HUNTING TIP on SCENTS * * * * * * * * *

When using an attractant scent or a cover scent, consider

using old film canisters to hold the liquids. Put a couple of

cotton balls in each container and saturate the cotton with

your favorite scent. Place the containers around your stand.

When finished place the caps back on the containers and reuse

them the next hunt.

* * * * * * * * * HUNTING TIP on DEER FOOD* * * * * * * * *

Remember: Acorns are not the only productive food source to

hunt over during the fall. Acorns, especially from white

oaks, might be a deer magnet when they're available, but

even mature trees do not drop these sweet treats every year

or at the same time. When acorns are hard to find, deer will

turn to other nuts, fruit, persimmons and wild berries. When

scouting, check out Mother Nature's full menu.

More Tips

* Look for beaver ponds running east and west. Since deer tend to travel

north and south they will likely be forced around one end or the other,

increasing your odds of seeing deer there.

* Since most heat escapes through the head, a little baking soda

in the hat would help eliminate any odors escaping with the heat and moisture.

* If you would like to excite a buck in your hunting area, consider

taking soil from a scrape in another area and placing it in a scrape near

your stand. Be careful not to leave any human scent.

* When tracking deer on snow, always be aware that deer often tend to

circle back to see what is following them.

* The route a deer takes can often tell you what the sex is. Large

bucks tend to go over an around obstructions. Does, on the other hand,

are likely to crawl under a fallen tree or weave through a thicket.

* Big bucks tend to make their scrapes on high ground.

* Most deer are shot on the downwind side of a food source.

* You can forget about hunting rubs or scrapes during the rut because

bucks move in totally unpredictable patterns during that time.

* One study concludes that over 95% of the scrapes bucks made in an area

would be used again the next year.

* No matter how good your spot is don't hunt there on consecutive days.

You stand an excellent chance of contaminating the area with your scent.

* * * * * * HUNTING TIP on OFF SEASON * * * * * *

Outdoorsmen and women who find themselves between seasons might want to

consider adding another big game animal to their lists. In most Southern states,

feral hogs -- which are considered nuisances by most landowners and state

wildlife agencies -- may be hunted the year 'round. There are plenty

of commercial and public parcels that are teeming with wild tuskers.

Standard deer hunting methods and weapons will work just fine with these

porkers, which make handsome trophies for the den wall as well as delicious

fare for the table. Just Remember: Wild hogs' eyesight might be the poorest

of any native game that is hunted, but they possess snouts that are far

more sensitive than a whitetail's. If you do not have feral hogs in your

area or state, contact outfitters and/or DNRs from Alabama, Georgia,

Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina and Texas (to name a few).

* * * * * * HUNTING TIP on PRE SCOUTING for TURKEY * * * * * *

Unless snow is on the ground, late February is the perfect

time to begin scouting for turkeys. It is a good idea to walk

logging roads and look for gobbler tracks, especially a day

or two after a rain. But do not limit your scouting to

backwoods roads. Get off the main trails and wander out into

the hardwoods. Look for turkey scratching -- large areas

where the leaves have been pushed or scratched aside. Knowing

where the birds like to feed during the day might help you

pattern them. Their habits might change by the time your

state's spring season opens, but scouting this early is never

a futile exercise. At least you'll be getting in shape to

chase distant gobbles when that day finally arrives.

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This page last edited on Monday, March 03, 2008 03:05:41 PM