Grow the Hunt

Hunting Big Does

By Rich Miller

With all the private land and hunting clubs, managing the deer herd is happening now more than ever. When we talk about managing deer everyone automatically thinks “growing big bucks”. Although growing big bucks is one of the goals, making the whole heard healthy as possible is the main goal. To do this we as hunters have to take some of the does out of the herd every year, also. 

The number of does we need to take is dependent on several different factors like the size of the property, the number of deer per acre and tour buck to doe ratio. The problem is shooting them when we have the chance. In the beginning of the season, I normally don’t shoot does because there is a certain buck that I have my eye on and I don’t wont to mess up the place I am hunting. I know that this is the most opportune time to take does, but between the heat and the other factor I just mentioned I can’t make myself do it. I always wait till this time of year and decide I want to shoot some does and then they are hard to see. 

I got back in town late Thursday night and my little boy told me, “Let’s go hunting!” I have a good friend of mine that is trying to take a lot of does off his property so Tye and I took him up on his invitation and headed that way Friday afternoon. On the walk we noticed the food plot we had to cross to get to the stand was torn up with deer sign. That really give me a lot of confidence that we would see some does in there.

Tye and I had hunted together a lot this year and have seen a lot of deer, but all of them were small bucks and does – when we weren’t shooting does. I was really hoping we would get lucky and get a shot. The whole evening was a typical one and we were on pins and needles the whole time thinking something was going to come out any minute. As luck would have it. nothing came out until right at the end of shooting light and a decent little 7-point buck came strolling into the food plot and fed all the way across. At least we got to see a deer and that really made Tye’s evening; but as usual, when we are after big does, they don’t show.

Cold Weather Gear

By Brandon Wikman

By the looks across the Midwest; snow, ice, and nasty cold weather looms. As a hunter, you need to know how to stay warm and alert during this time period.

First things first, you must obviously check the weather to get an accurate read of what exactly you are up against. It could be wind, snow or a sunny day with freezing temperatures. If you're going to be out in the extreme cold, sport as much warm clothing as possible. If it's mid-cold, try to dress in layers so that you can add or remove clothes throughout the day. The most important aspect of dressing warm is bringing enough layers and being able to shed them when needed.

Thermal Underwear. You can purchase thermal underwear in any clothing and underwear store across the country, whether it’s a sporting good shop or Wal-Mart. Thermals are great for layers and extreme cold.

Fleece Lined Jeans. Fleece is general is very warm and prevents much of your core heat from escaping. Fleece lined jeans are an exceptional way to keep the heat in and cold out.

Long socks or leg warmers. These will keep your legs warm a bit more, rather than just wearing pants and ordinary socks. You may want to prefer wool socks or even alpaca, which is the ultimate cold weather sock!

Jackets. A good, thick zip-up jacket is perfect for cold weather. It's warm, but also easy to put on and off. Get rid of those cotton jackets; buy a wool or a good polyester jacket instead! Don't wear hoodies in extremely cold weather as this allows the wind to go through the fibers. Without the wind chill, you will be a lot warmer, so make sure you have a windproof jacket. Try synthetics like Goretex that let your sweat escape if you are doing vigorous activities like walking to and from your stand.

Other accessories such as gloves, scarves and beanies. All of these items can add an extra warm flair to your outfit while also keeping you alert and on the ready!

The most important aspect of trying to stay warm in cold weather is to prevent your body from overheating, which leads to sweating. Many people jump into a snowmobile suit and walk to their stand. Unfortunately, by the time they arrive, climb the ladder, and get settled in, it’s far too late. Sweat is moisture. Moisture is our nasty cold enemy that will drastically drop your body’s temperature. Be sure to take your time walking to your stand and even yank off a few layers to prevent the sweat factor. I typically carry in most of my outer layers, which helps me out a ton.
   
Stay warm and be safe!