Whitetail Habitat Improvements Through Hinge Cutting

Filed under Hunting by on March 2, 2012 at 00:31 {no comments}

Hinge-cutting serves several purposes in regard to improving both whitetail habitat and your hunting experience. There are two main types of hinge cuts including a cut for screening and funnels and a cut for bedding. Hinge cuts for screening and funnels should be done somewhere between the knee and waist to block a deer’s vision as well as block a travel path. Hinge cuts for bedding should be done around chest high so that there is room for a deer to bed underneath.

With both types of hinging, the goal is to keep the tree alive by cutting it just enough to fall over while still keeping part of the trunk attached. Certain types of trees will hinge better than others and the best time to hinge is while the sap is low in the tree, typically in the winter months before spring green up.

Another benefit of hinging, regardless of style, is that more food is made available at “deer” level by bringing tender buds to the forest floor and also allowing more sunlight to reach the forest floor which will stimulate growth out of the ever-present seed bed. With browse making up a substantial portion of any whitetail diet, the more the merrier.

I’ve always wanted to somehow lengthen my deer season into the off-season. Hinge-cutting has been one method of keeping me interested year-round. I find myself thinking about ways to create funnels, screens, and bedding areas while on stand during season and waiting for the season to get over to get to work on hinging!

We had a significant problem with our 20 acre woodlot which was the fact that deer could essentially enter and leave the woods at any point around the entire perimeter. Without much consistency, it made patterning and hunting there more of a challenge than it already was. Hinge-cutting has made a profound affect on controlling deer movement. Instead of struggling to figure out where the deer would enter or leave the woods along a 500 yard edge, we have now limited it to three different areas. This is done by hinging along the edge to most of the trails and leave the trails open that we feel will create the best hunting opportunity.

Hinging along the edge of the woods also helps to screen the interior of the woods and any deer inside. Not only do the fallen trees help to break up your outline, but new growth from the sunlight that reaches the forest floor starts to come up including grasses, weeds, and suckers growing off of the still-living stumps of the hinged trees. Screening to stand locations is very important as what good is the perfect location if every deer in the area can see you walking there?

This style of hinge-cut also works perfectly in creating a pinch point or funnel for any woodlot stand setup. If you love a location, but just wish the deer would travel 30 yards closer to you, then drop a couple trees and push them that way. It is amazing how simple it is to do.

Bedding areas can be created quickly and effectively by using chest high hinge cuts. Deer love safe, secure cover. Many times, I’ve found beds that are canopied by one thing or another whether it be an outcropping or fallen tree. Hinged trees will provide the overhead cover desired accompanied with creating new browse and thickening the forest floor once sunlight is able to reach it. Areas as small as a 1/4 acre will work for this and the beauty of it is that you can control where you create them! You are able to start to create a line of movement from bedding areas to food sources.

While I have loads of work ahead of me, hinge-cutting will remain a huge part of my whitetail habitat improvement plan. Creating more bedding cover and additional browse will help keep more deer on my property throughout the year. It is only one portion of a larger habitat improvement program, but it is a key component that cannot be left out.

Learn more tips from deer habitat experts by visiting us at Whitetail Habitat Design and Freeta.co.. This article, Whitetail Habitat Improvements Through Hinge Cutting is released under a creative commons attribution license.

How to distinguish a Buck or a Doe Trail

Filed under Hunting by on January 31, 2012 at 20:51 {no comments}

A scrape is usually a large ring or oval of exposed dirt that is about 6 feet in diameter. Existence of scrapes or rubs near or on the trail will usually indicate that you are in buck territory. Typically a buck passing thru his territory will check his scrape for other deer that have recently been in the area. Scrapes are often described as boundary markers. An experienced hunter as much time as possible in the woods because in the rut deer are moving almost all day.

One way to find a buck area is to look for a rub line. A rub line is a wide-ranging trail that bucks will follow for years and use the smaller trees for clean-up of their antlers of velvet. Search for a well worn deer trail with rubs and observe the correlation between the trail, and the nearest bedding locations and food sources. In general the nearer you are to a bedding area, the more likely you are to see deer. The rubs will increase your odds that it may be a buck.

The spacing of tracks from the center of the trail determines the size of the deer. Old heavy bucks tend to walk with their hooves spaced wider apart than does and yearlings. Deer tracks can help you settle on the size and sex of the animal with a little understanding and examination. Keep in mind that the size of deer and their tracks will vary from area to area.

Does typically point their toes in the route they are traveling. Bucks generally point their toes outward from the centerline of travel. Instead of stepping in the tracks that their front feet have made, bucks often lag their hind hoof. An intersection of 2 or 3 trails increase your odds for deer. If the rut is on a breeding buck, it may be more likely to use this trail hoping to find a ready doe.

When scouting deer tracks in snow, try to determine which deer is dragging his feet. Bucks will leave drag marks in leaf litter or light snow, but don’t be fooled by deep snow as all deer will drag their feet under these conditions. If you are interested in tracking a certain deer, it is advisable to get out early in the day after a night snow.

The nature of bucks also may help in determining what type of trail you are looking at beneath your feet. Bucks will more often be in heavy cover and travel with a purpose, generally in straighter lines. Does on the other hand tend to wander and meander through the woods. A good deer hunter learns the traits of patience, dedication, and observation. Throughout the year, deer will use different routes at different times for different reasons.

Fence posts and fence lines serve as natural routes of travel for deer. Deer trails will often run along fences for great distances. This explains why you may find shed antlers along fence lines. A trophy buck will often use wooden fence posts for rubs. It seems that a strong post provides the resistance a big buck needs for a rub.

Sportsman and Author Ethan O. Tanner explains how to distinguish a Leather buck trail doe trail. Also published at How to distinguish a Buck or a Doe Trail.

The Methods In Still Hunting For Deer

Filed under Hunting by on January 22, 2012 at 21:49 {no comments}

Would it be the deer hunting on the move, or quiet still hunting? these two concepts are broadly misunderstood as to what it is and how to go about it. It is haunting deer, not expecting on a stump or in a blind for the deer to come to you. It can be the most satisfying deer hunting experience you can do. It can also be the most discouraging, since it is a skill which requires you to slow everything – your sight, your breath and your walking gait. But the payoffs go beyond the hunt to your better enjoyment of nature itself.

These few mere techniques can be used on your next hunt – whether you choose to still-hunt or not, the principles are the equivalent. These know-hows will also make your deer hunt a richer experience. Softly walking thru the woods enjoying nature is very relaxing and pleasing. It’s all about: you’re outdoors – love the scenery, hunting or not.

Even so, deer, and other prey species, have eyes designed to detect motion. Deer and all prey species have eyes on the side of their head, and this aids in perceiving motion first, long before the animal can distinguish whether what they see is a threat, or just some pattern-breaking motion in the woods. When still hunting for deer, we must adopt to the way they see. First, we must see motion, patterns out of sync second, and the deer last. The only way to do these is to relax our focus and broaden our field of vision.

You see it entirely all the time – the hunter walking through the woods as if he’s hunting on rice paper. It does not work. As a hunter, you are going to make noise. But then, so do deer and other game. So does anything dwelling and breathing in the woods. What you want to avoid is making the pulsing gait a hunter makes when he’s running, usually after a deer, or doing everything he can to be quiet, when he doesn’t yet see one.

Walking toe-heel is the way to walk, because the palm of your foot can be more flexible in its response to the softwood twigs and dead fall underfoot – like deer, whose hooves make relatively light contact with the forest floor. Walking heel-toe makes for a heavy, stiff step – a human step. Walking heel toe, take a few steps, pause, and, using the soft-focus described above, take in the environment, in a holistic way.

Now be very careful, if you find yourself getting into a steady, rhythmic gait, interrupt it. You also want to avoid any plain human sounds, and sounds coming from anything man-made, such as metal or hard plastic. Bottom line – sweeping past an oak stump is okay. marching in beat is not, nor is that canteen banging against your hunting rifle strap buckle.

Eventually, walk into the wind. Yes, this is rule 1. But many hunters, especially those used to staying in a relatively insulated hunting blind, forget this cardinal rule. I’ve stood with my bow drawn on a buck 10 yards away, with the buck clearly trying to figure out what the heck this would-be rambo was up to – only to watch it spring to life once the wind shifts, and thanksgiving was a bit – thinner that year.

Do not even annoy still hunting on blustery days, with no prevailing winds. The bottom line, when you are hunting deer in this way, is to get used to is slowing yourself down, for hours at a time, and softening your focus to “deer hunt” for motion – not deer. But act like, see like, deer, become a more part of where you are, and you will reap many rewards – whether you take a deer or not.

Hunter craftsman and knowledgeable Ethan O. Tanner explains the various selections of stalking deer the choices of Deer Shack for great outdoors advice you should consider.

My Gripe with Wisconsin Gun Policies

Filed under Hunting by on October 30, 2011 at 18:47 {no comments}

I’m angry about the politics in my home state of Wisconsin. Now before you jump to conclusions (you think I’m going to gripe about Wisconsin’s new CCW reciprocity not being nation wide, don’t you?), you need to know that I am upset for entirely different reasons than have been in the news for the last year. I’m upset because we,
Wisconsin hunters and sportsmen settled on a piece of legislation recently and, because we settled, there are hundreds, possibly thousands, of kids this year that won’t be able to hunt that could and should.

I’m talking about my state’s new Mentored Hunting Program, which permits children, 10 and up, to participate in state hunting opportunities without first completing a
hunter’s education course and with their own gun, granted they stay within “arm’s reach of the mentor” and obey your local hunting rules. On the surface this is a good thing (though I’m not sure about allowing children to hunt without verifying some sort of competency through a hunter’s education course). What I don’t like is
the age limit.

The first thing I will tell you not to do is to take off. Nothing screams suspicious behavior like a guy just seen packing iron and now taking off for the hills. Try to be calm, I know this is going to be tough, but you really do need to act that way. I will tell you the story of my first time unintentionally brandishing a firearm while still in its holster.

Brandish2I was nineteen years old, I had just gotten my pistol permit and I knew very little about carrying a firearm concealed. I had a Ruger Blackhawk .357 in a cheap Uncle Mike’s holster because at the time it was all I could afford. It was in the fall so I was wearing a heavy flannel jacket that normally covered the gun well. What I didn’t realize was that when I had gotten out of my truck, the jacket got pulled up over the grip of the gun in that crappy holster. I was walking across a parking lot and into a gun store of all places when a family of four came walking down the sidewalk.

The main complaint most people have with the M9 is it’s chambered in 9mm. They argue that the effectiveness of the cartridge is poor compared to .40 S&W and .45 ACP. The problem is that this is not an “apples to apples” comparison. Military sidearms are limited to Full Metal Jacketed ammunition, all of which are poor performers. A .40 S&W 185gr. FMJ or .45 ACP 230gr. FMJ is not much better than the issue 9mm NATO ammunition. On the other hand, when comparing modern JHPs of all three calibers, the terminal effectiveness is more or less comparable. The issue is not the size of bullet, but the institutional requirement to limit ammunition to non-expanding FMJ designs. An increase in caliber size is not going to address this issue.

The 9mm cartridge offers the advantages of an easy to master and very user-friendly recoil impulse for all troops, not just the ones who spend the majority of their time pulling triggers. Many troops have other jobs they need to devote their time to and the necessary training time to make everyone proficient in combat handgunning simply isn’t there. Combined with high capacity this translates to higher hit probability. While I might prefer a different caliber, I’d much rather that if my IT uy has to shoot – he can at least make one or two hits out of 15 with 9mm FMJ than have him miss will all seven rounds of .45 ACP.

The general issue of ergonomics is basically size. The 92FS is a big pistol and no one contests that. While this is a problem for civilians who typically have to conceal carry, few military personnel are concerned with the concealing of their sidearm. However, the size and weight of the M9 make it a very easy pistol to use, and makes the already light recoil of the 9mm seem even milder. Also, full size pistols – while less desirable for civilians and under-cover LEOs – are generally more
reliable than their compact counterparts.

brandish1If a person does see you, don’t go rushing right over to them and try to explain your entire belief in the second amendment in one breath. You will make it much worse. And just the same (and as I said before) do not bolt. That will all but guarantee a visit from the cops as someone seeing you run away will more than likely call 911.

Yet, horror stories about M9 reliability abound. Though many troops complain about jamming, but these problems are almost always linked to magazine issues or Preventative Maintenance Care and Services (PMCS) issues. Early in the service life of the M9 the military purchased large quantities of magazines from Checkmate Industries, a government contractor. They were soon found to be defective. Springs and followers would bind, rounds wouldn’t feed, and weapons would jam as a result.

This problem was quickly identified and those contract magazines were supposed to be pulled from the inventory. Unfortunately, this did not happen uniformly. Unfortunately a great many of those defective magazines remain in inventories and are being circulated to this day.

Guns.com is your top source for guns news, reviews, and interacting with the gun community.

Great Deer Hunting Advice

Filed under Hunting by on October 25, 2011 at 12:43 {no comments}

While following basic deer hunting tips may seem far too simple and obvious for most hunters, these tips should act as a guide for both the beginner and experienced hunter. A successful hunt requires far more involvement than simply walking through the woods for a time and shooting that trophy winning deer. In fact, there is a considerable amount of preparation involved, along with safety precautions that should always be addressed, and discipline is required; however, by utilizing the tips covered here, you will dramatically increase your chances for finding success on your next hunting excursion.

1. Essential Safety Tips:

Be sure to refrain from consuming anything alcoholic before or during the hunt.

You should always practice caution when handling any firearm; always expect the gun to be loaded, and never rely solely on the safety.

That means you never consider climbing a stand or tree, crossing a fence, or jumping a ditch with a loaded gun.

Do not pull the gun’s trigger unless you are completely certain that you are aiming at a deer. If there is any doubt about your target, do not fire.

2. Tips For Bagging A Deer:

Begin Early – Although a lot of hunters like to hunt all day, the best chances for finding a deer is during sunrise and sunset. Usually, deer only emerge from the brush in order to feed during the dawn and dusk hours. Be sure to be in your deer blind or stand prior to dawn in the morning and prior to dusk during the evening. Arriving early is vital, in order to properly set-up prior to the arrival of deer. It is truly agonizing to watch that trophy winning buck dart away due to you arriving a little too late, not giving yourself ample enough time to finish any preparations.

No Scents – Take the time to be certain that you or any of your equipment are not emitting any smells that would alert a deer of your presence. While a scent may appeal to your friends or spouse, it will repel a deer. Do not use any cologne, after shave, deodorant, perfume, or scented soaps/body wash. Additionally, be sure to wash whatever clothing you will be bringing with you on the hunt with either an unscented detergent or simply water. Unfortunately, deer have an astounding degree of smell sensitivity, and anything unusual will have them scattering away before you can act.

Do Not Move – While you are in a stand or a blind, you have to do your best to stay as still as possible. If you do have to move, make your movements very slowly. One of the hardest things for me to learn to be a successful hunter was how to slowly look from side to side as I sat for hours in a deer stand in the freezing cold. Sudden movements quickly attract the attention of deer and can easily scare them away before you even get to see them.

Be Quiet – One of the most important things you can do to have a successful deer hunt is to remain silent. There have been various occasions and disappointing moments when I scared a deer away with the slightest of sounds. Deer have more sensitive ears than you would think. They become very cautious and wary when they hear a human voice or any kind of unnatural sound. If you are hunting with a partner or in a group, make sure you talk in as low of a whisper as possible and, if possible, rely on hand signals for communication. You also have to be careful not to hit you gun or binoculars or your metal stand or clang the two together.

The aforementioned tips are really simple basics, and while there is a great deal more out there, if you follow these basic deer hunting tips, you’ll find your chances of success are dramatically increased.

We hope that you use these advanced deer hunting tips and techniques during deer hunting season to enjoy the most successful hunt ever. And please visit us at www.Deer-HuntingTips.com to learn more secrets and advanced deer hunting tips.

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