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| Babe with his 2006 Missouri buck. |
July 28, October 27
You have your bow, rifle, slug and black powder deer hunters. Some travel great distances to pursue their passion while others seldom venture far beyond their own back yards.
Young and old…male and female--these days, whitetail deer hunters come in more specialized flavors than ever before.
But I think in spite of many differences, most whitetailers pretty much hope for the same things in return for getting up so early…whipping through morning routines…and slipping out into the darkness to greet long hours in the stand.
Isn’t all we really want is a chance to see lots of deer? Those special animals of our affections that somehow make our hearts go pitter-patter?
And if the joy of watching deer works out according to plan, getting a good shot at one--maybe even a at a nice buck from time to time—would sure be bonus too. Am I right?
If so, simple as it may sound, the biggest determining factor in whitetail hunting success is choosing places to hunt that produce lots of deer.
State or other public lands are probably the best options most hunters have for access these days, but what you see is what you get in terms of good or bad whitetail habitat. Secondly, we all know how frustrating it is, among so many other hunters, to find a secluded spot where deer are unaffected following opening day pressure.
Outfitters are certainly a good option for avoiding all that because, for a fee, it becomes someone else’s job to provide privacy, productive land and great opportunity for seeing lots of deer. This is done by supporting local deer with assorted management tools, which significantly up the hunter’s odds.
But more and more, the biggest craze in whitetail hunting is purchasing and managing recreational properties that allow hunters to control their destiny and call their own.
Be it 20, 80, 200 acres or many more to work with, the basic goals are to secure a private place to hunt and manage the property to produce quality whitetails in good numbers.
It takes a lot of time, effort and expense to do well, but people all over the country, including myself, are getting a big kick making wildlife management a year-round hobby.
Where I’m hunting today is a perfect example of this on a grand scale. Owned by Dave and Carmen Forbes, owners of Hunter’s Specialties…these magnificent acres are the testing grounds for the Vita-rack products they produce to help landowners achieve their goals.
Food plot development has become a major focus for H.S. in recent years.
And by what I’m seeing, there’s absolutely no doubt they’ve created a true whitetail utopia here.
The proper mix of food Plots on a property supplies year-round food sources that meet the overall nutritional needs of whitetails…attracts and concentrates deer and other wildlife on your land, while actually preventing them from leaving…provides cover…and increases the carrying capacity of your local deer herd.
So wathc this week for more on “farming for whitetails,” and my on-going Missouri rifle hunt last fall, at Hunter’s Specialties famous testing grounds, is next.
