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Planting during the late summer and early fall for the upcoming hunting season is one of my favorite times of the year. The anticipation of hunting trips and hopeful encounters with the deer we have been watching all summer is at its peak. I really try to encourage hunters to prepare and plan now so that busy time of year goes smoothly and you can eliminate some surprises that might otherwise derail a planting season. After years of answering questions for other gamekeepers, it is becoming

HOW TO LEAD A DOVE I believe the most important factor in taking doves is determining lead. My philosophy is to start the lead at the head of the bird instead of behind the bird. Most people miss doves, because they shoot behind the birds. When the target (the dove) is presented to the hunter in a crossing fashion (flying from right to left or left to right), many hunters have heard that more lead is required to successfully down the bird and that the Butt, Belly, Beak System of Aiming to

WHEN THEIR FIRST FEATHERS FALL Sharing the knowledge of wingshooting with a young or new hunter begins with patience. Swinging the business end of a shotgun can’t begin until gun safety is addressed, and then the likely initial results will be lots of missed birds. The mentor’s role is to never let the student get demoralized, because of course, everyone starts out the same way. A passion for wingshooting may take one hunter on a lifetime odyssey of hunts, while another may not be as keen on

TOPWATER LURES FOR SEA TROUT Using topwater lures to fish for spotted seatrout is hands down one of the most exciting ways to target these speckled golden beauties. This one’s all about the bite, and they can be downright explosive. A bonus: Topwater fish tend to be on the larger size as well. Knowing the right conditions and having a selection of the right lures is key to success though. In topwater fishing, the early bird gets the worm but don’t feel bad if you’re not an early riser—the late

A veteran bow hunter and local archery pro shop owner once offered me advice I always remember. The archery pro told me that when practicing shooting, it is necessary to remember that when deer hunting, you will be nervous and cold. When your body is chilled, or the sudden adrenaline rush from a mature buck walking into range takes over, the struggle to draw a bow can be a difficult task. Many bowhunters spend time throughout the summer practicing with their bows for the upcoming season. Many of

Creating and maintaining an effective land management plan for wildlife should be more than a one-dimensional endeavor. For most, the thoughts of long-term land improvements go directly to the creation of lush food plots. While it’s common knowledge that a variety of food plots on your property will certainly give it instant appeal, there are also numerous projects that can have a lasting impact on both the quality of habitat and feeding options for wildlife in your area. Creating Water Sources

As wildlife managers, we understand the significance of hard mast producing trees, particularly oak trees. Their presence is a critical aspect of land management and arguably the best natural forage for wildlife. Oak species belong in the Fagaceae family which can be broken up into two subfamilies: the red oaks and the white oaks, which are also names for individual tree species. These are the most well-known types of oak tree species but there are many other important variations that can slip

Summer is a busy time for the gamekeeper. Turkey season and spring planting are complete, but there’s still plenty to do. Let’s face it…there’s always loads to do for a gamekeeper. Here are a few of the most important. Kill the Competition Keeping ahead of the summer weed cycle and controlling noxious or invasive weeds is a tedious, but essential task. This is especially important in dry or drought conditions since all those vile weeds are robbing moisture, along with sunlight and nutrients from

When blessed with the opportunity to own property for recreation purposes, the journey to create your dream hunting oasis begins. It doesn’t matter if you’ve owned the property for decades or just closed on it, having a plan for quality improvements will expedite your impact on the landscape and the wildlife you hunt. Smaller tasks that will make an immediate impact will likely dominate your initial jobs which can put larger tasks that will make a long-term impact onto the back burner. Unless

Acorns dropping from oak trees and fall food plots often receive a lot of attention from deer, and anything that draws the attention of deer will certainly be of interest to deer hunters! Oak trees and their acorn crops are great to have as part of deer habitat, but sometimes they receive too much emphasis. They are great to have around as a “dessert” for deer and a commercial timber product, but the presence of oak trees is not a prerequisite for an effective deer management program. In fact