Advantages of the Heat
As we are into the month of July, Deer season is approaching fast. Some states deer seasons will open in August, while the vast majority will open in September. It will be here before you know it, but the work should already be getting done. Proverbs 21:5 tells us, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”.
July and August are the warmest months here in the United States. This means that most deer will be less active. This makes mid-day trips into the woods to scout extremely beneficial for the early season hunts. Look for fresh trails, droppings, bedding, and available food sources. Using apps like OnX Hunt, or HuntStand to mark the sign will give a reference later in the season. This will also allow you to keep a record of the sign that you want to watch, and verify that the deer are using these areas year after year.
Photos provided by Created Outdoors Staff Members Tony Fall and Derek Denlinger
Where legal, most hunters have been using mineral sites in the off season. This provides the deer the nutrients that their bodies need to grow, and to grow antlers. This is also a great way to keep track of the deer herd in your hunting spot. The Created Outdoors team likes the Domain Outdoors Stockpile and Pre-Game blocks, along with the Recharge and Bad Habit dump mineral/attractant. Dumping the mineral powders on a soft decaying stump or log will give the deer something that they can consume to fill them up. They will not eat as much this way (making your mineral last longer), but will keep visiting the sites.
Photo provided by Created Outdoors
Food plots are also a great way to track the deer that are in your hunting area. Clover, alfalfa, and timothy can grow at any time of the year. Soy beans, corn, radishes and turnips are more geared to specific planting seasons. Do some research and choose the food plot that best suites your areas. Make sure that you give the deer something different to choose from. Most deer like people will get tired of the same food all of the time. If every body around you is planting corn, then plant soy beans, etc… By providing a variety, you are more likely to see deer that you most likely wouldn’t see during the feeding times. Make sure that you use a reputable food plot seed company, some are definitely better than others. The Created Outdoors Staff like to use Domain Outdoors seed, Comeback Kid, No BS, Big Sexy, and Green Machine are just a few that we really like using.
Watching from a distance is also a great idea. You can watch food plots, and farm fields from the truck with the air conditioning (A/C) on. Glassing from the A/C may seem a bit lazy, but this will give you more information than just walking through the woods. You have real time information on what trails specific deer are using to enter the fields. You have the opportunity to observe the body language of all of the deer as specific deer enter the field. If they Get alert, and skittish when an older buck enters the field, then he may be the more dominant buck. Who knows, you may just see that one giant that avoids your cameras before he sheds his velvet. At the very least, you will have the opportunity to view and enjoy the beauty that God has provided us in these warmer months first hand. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”.
Until next time, hunt hard, and pray harder.
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Written by,
Evan Gersper Created Outdoors Staff Writer