Grow the Hunt

Getting Prepared for Deer Season

By Rich Miller

This is the time of year when all I can start thinking about is getting ready to climb up a tree and start hunting. Normally, that is what I am doing, but this year it has been so hot an dry I don’t know if that is what I really want to do right now. We have had so many days in a row of 98ºF + days, and some well above 100, I just want some relief before I climb up a tree.  As I mentioned last week in my blog I have a good deer using in one of our food plots and am looking forward to hunting him but I am praying for some cool weather.

It is so dry where I live that we haven’t plowed anything up as for as our food plots go. The ground is so dry it would just be a waste of time and our money. The good think is that everything is dead and we will not have to spray any herbicides to kill anything. So we will save a little money if nothing else. I am sure sooner or later we will start getting a little moisture but for right now it is bad. Since the food plots and getting ready to plant them are out of the question right now I have turned to hanging stands and shooting my bow. This year I made it a point to have all my gear ready by the time deer season rolled around. I am not talking about having all my stands hung and ready to go, I mean all the little things ready.

Usually every year it takes me a few hunts to get everything organized. Whether it is in my backpack or in the side bags of my climber, normally I will forget and leave something. This year I want to have everything ready to go. The major things I keep in my pack that I want to have for every hunt is my bow hanger and several screw-in hangers for my pack and my quiver. Next is my range finder; a lot of the places I hunt I will never need it because it is so thick, but I still prefer to have it just in case. 

Grunt call is something I never want to leave without no matter what time of year. It is the consistent call that I use the whole season. A facemask and gloves are a must whether rifle or bow hunting. That is the first thing a deer will spot if you don’t have them on. The last but not least is a good pair of binoculars, whether it’s a deer I can shoot or not, I want to have a good look at it either way. With a good set of binoculars I know how good a deer was in just a few seconds and eases my mind so I am not guessing.

Being prepared is a big part of being successful. Some of the deer seasons I have had have been real successful and during those some of the guys I hunt with have said man you are lucky. A little of it is luck I guess but it happened because I was there. I can’t remember who it was but someone told me onetime that luck is when preparation meets opportunity. So this year, make it a point to be more prepared when the season rolls around and I’m sure it will make all of us more successful.

The Wonderful Whitetail

By Brandon Wikman

Whitetail antlers have captivated the every thought, dazzled the imagination, and created a virtual fantasy for those drawn to the incredible bone. It’s a hobby for some, livelihood for others, and an endless burning passion for all. From the very early times of mankind, antlers have been etched into cave walls and worn as a symbolic significance by ancient ancestors. The shape, size, and growth of bone have continued to charm our hearts and ignite our souls to this very day.

The antler growth process is nothing short of astounding, especially considering it is the fasted growing tissue in the animal kingdom. Unlike ‘horn’ antler naturally cast each year around early spring and begin reproducing until late summer. Antler is composed of bone, which is mostly comprised of calcium. During the growing season, the antler is fed by blood carried in the outer velvet coverings. Velvet feels like warm and waxy soft hairs.

In contrast, ‘horn’ is made of keratin, which is the same material our fingernails are made of. They do not shed and only need protein to grow. Horns grow continuously, while antlers will only grow for roughly 128 days.

Testosterone levels primarily regulate antler growth, which is accelerated by photoperiod (length of daylight). As we know, length of photoperiod is expressed by the seasons that occur from the tilting and rotation of our planet Earth. The antler growing process lasts only a specific period of time due to the natural worldly factors we experience daily.

Everyday natural dietary consumption is not enough nutrition and minerals to support the rapid growth of new antlers. They require an immense amount of quick, easy, and digestible nutrients. That is why it is so critical to boost your whitetail herd’s overall health and size by equipping them with rich supplemental feeding exercises.

To really excel the deer health in your area, I highly recommend the building power of Moultrie’s Game Nutrition System. A complete collection of nutritional products, these deer food supplements and deer attractant minerals are designed to lure deer to your property and give them the beneficial ingredients they need grow strong bodies and big racks. You will find a buffett of products at their website.

Whitetails continue to astonish even the most seasoned hunters and deer breeders. The countdown to hunting season has already begun as our great community of land managers wait. Antlers will always amaze posses and me my inner-roots into expanding around the wonderful world of whitetail.