The Not-Even-Close-to-Comprehensive Checklist of Tasks for the Whitetail Hunter
Winter has come and gone, turkey season is beginning to wrap up and, for many of us, it's time to start planning for whitetail. Yes, I know, maybe we should have started back in February. But it's so cold then and, plus, it's only human nature to procrastinate. If you haven't started prepping for the fall yet, here's a things we'd recommend.
1. Find New Areas
First off, it's time to lock in some of the new areas that you've been wanting to hunt. We love using Huntwise for this. They've got all the information we use - aerial maps, property boundaries, and even local area regs. We'll spend a while gathering information (things like pinch points, cover, food, etc.) and comparing notes, in order to nail down a dozen or so great spots. Occasionally, this means we'll need to start knocking on doors to secure hunting permission. Here's some great info on getting permissions.
Note: for more info on finding new areas to hunt, check out our podcasts with John Eberhart - he's a wealth of knowledge.
2. Set Your Spots
Once we have our hunting properties list set, it's time to get some boots on the ground. We'll look for old sign, like rubs and scrapes, and trails to determine the best spot for an ambush point. We'll consider prevailing wind, natural funnels, watering holes and usage by other hunters when choosing a spot. I'm a big ground blind hunter and like to set up my spots in areas with downed trees to use as cover. Depending on the area I'm in, I'll start piling up dead branches to create a natural blind. If I'm on public land, I'm careful not to make my blind terribly obvious - I'll maybe put a few logs together so that I can pop up some of my camo hunting mesh and hunt when the time is right.
3. Practice Your Bowga
You may have picked out the greatest spot in the world but it's meaningless if you can't hit the broad side of a barn. Time to do a little maintenance - tune your bow, sharpen broadheads, restock on arrows, maybe even find yourself some new archery gear. It's also time to hone your skills. During the summer, we shoot... a lot. Find a local 3D course, get involved in a shooting league or create some healthy competition between you and your hunting buddies. Remember, you've got a few months until the season begins so start really focusing on form heavily now, it'll pay off when that bruiser walks in front of you.
4. Set Trail Cameras
Trail cameras have been a wonderful addition to a hunter's toolbox. They're great for tracking deer movement, monitoring your local heard and for teaching patience. Seriously, the minute I set my trail cameras, I'm already counting down the time until I can come back and check them. A lot can be written about when and how to check your cameras (and a lot depends on where you've set it up) but, for now, know that you should give it a few weeks before coming back to check.
5. Take a Lap
Whitetail hunting isn't typically as physically demanding as hunting sheep or even elk but it's important that you're in shape for the upcoming season. You're not going to be successful if you're sweating through the waistband of your pants when you walk out or if you can't pull your bow back under a little pressure. Plus, if you do put a deer down, someone is going to have to haul it back to camp. We love to do a combination of weights, sprints and weighted hikes.