Honey Do’s and Don’ts
by LOU MARULLO | TF&G Hunting Editor
LISTEN: (5 min, 21 sec)
HERE WE GO AGAIN. Trying to get all those honey-do chores done before the whitetail season begins! It seems that as I get older, that honey-do list is getting larger. Or maybe I am just getting slower at getting things done. Oh well, got to keep the wife happy so that when the season finally does arrive, you should have the time to yourself to spend countless hours in a tree stand and still come home to a smiling face. Am I right? Hello?
The problem is that it is so hot these summer months that you do not feel like going out and walking to your hunting lease to check things out and make sure nothing has changed. Are the deer using the area still? Is there much whitetail sign or have they found a better food source elsewhere? But these are exactly the things that you must do. You do not want to get up opening day at dark-thirty, head out and find that you are wasting your time. My advice to you is to be smart and take one day to make that dreaded walk. Yes, it will be hot and yes, you might be miserable, but this writer feels it is a necessity that cannot be avoided.
Braving the heat now to scope out your hunting ground will pay dividends this fall.
(Photo: Adobe)
Once that chore is out of the way, I like to sit in my living room and use my computer to scope out new spots to hunt. If you have the means, then it might be a good idea to check out some of the states that border Texas and read about what they have to offer. There are plenty of reputable guides that would be happy to sign you up for a hunt this year or next. Some states will offer an over the counter out of state license while others require an out of state license online or via mail. A guided hunt can be tons of fun, and you can rest assured that your chances of seeing the game you are hunting will be very good. Whitetail deer, hogs, turkey, elk and bird hunting are just a few of the great hunts. I know that here in Texas, we have all of those species right here. Why hunt anywhere else? Personally, I like hunting different areas. I once hunted deer in Missouri and saw the biggest buck I have ever seen in the wild. I watched as he mounted a doe. Never got a shot at him, but the hunt is etched in my memory banks for sure. One day, I would love to try my luck at moose up in Maine. Ahh the dreams…
If you are one who just loves to fish, then a trip to different waters would be the ticket. In New York near the small town of Oswego, Huge salmon run upstream to spawn. Oddly enough it is called the Salmon River! I brought Chester there once and he had a ball when he hooked on to a monster fish. And I had a ball watching him struggle to keep his feet under him as he chased it down the river. It is really entertaining when someone hollers “fish on” because then you will see all the fishermen that have lined the banks of the river stand wall to wall and dance one leg at a time so they do not get the line of the runaway salmon caught on their boots! Someone should film that, put some music in the background and post it on YouTube!
If you are one of those grizzled hunters that likes to stay on his home turf, then I have a suggestion for you. On a cool morning, grab a rake and a small shovel and head out to your lease. Deer are creatures of habit, and they are also pretty lazy when it comes to walking in the woods. These animals will take the easiest route possible. If they can go under a fence instead of jumping over it, they will. They will not go where it is super thick with thorns unless they feel threatened. They will choose to go around it every time. With this in mind, check the area where you have placed your deer stands and see if there is a heavily used deer run that avoids your stand. If you find it, then place some logs and brush over the run itself and with the shovel, clear a path that will offer you a nice 20-yard shot. Take your rake and clear any debris on the path. I will guarantee the deer will follow that new easy path right to you. Once they start using it, they will use it everyday out of habit. That is why you need to get out there as soon as you can (on a COOL morning), and get that work done. Give the deer plenty of time to get used to it and voila, venison on the dinner table!
I have written before in previous columns how important it is to check your gear before you get out in your stand. Go to the range now while it is not filled with last minute procrastinators and get your rifle sighted in. Grab your bow and shoot some arrows so that your muscle memory takes over and you are accurate with every shot. If you consider yourself an ethical hunter, and I hope you do, then you should be doing these checks every year.
Remember those honey-do chores I spoke of earlier? Well now it is the time for those hunter-do chores. It is super important so get them done and enjoy a successful hunting season in just a few more months. I know that I will be ready and like you, the whitetail season could not come fast enough. Good luck to all!
Have fun and hunt safe.
Email Lou Marullo at ContactUs@fishgame.com
