January NEWSLETTER 2009 |
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have topic you would wish to be discussed in a future newsletter, let us know and we will
consider it.
If you do not want future newsletters, please email or write us advising so and you will be
removed from the list.
Write to: Disappear Hunting Products Inc., 163 College Street, Wadsworth, OH 44281
Email: discoverscent@disappearhp.com
| Disappear Hunting Products |
HUNTERS,
As I write this, most hunting seasons for whitetail deer are already closed for this year or will close shortly. This is
the time of year, while everything is still fresh in my mind, to analyze every encounter I had this past season with a
whitetail, that I wanted to shoot. If the shot was successful, if it was a miss or if no shot was able to taken, I want to
record why that particular sequence of events occurred. The successful moments are studied in order to be repeated
and the unsuccessful ones analyzed for the reasons of failure.
The four factors that control deer movement are weather, food sources, the rut and hunting pressure. Being able
to understand the impact of these factors in the area you are hunting and PLACING YOURSELF in that specific spot
as that movement is happening, as opposed to discovering it and hunting those locations after the deer have switched
to a different pattern. How many times have you discovered an awesome scrap line, set up the perfect ambush, only
to realize later the deer were using that line two weeks ago and have made adjustments since? After field dressing
every deer I harvest, I cut the stomach open, to determine the types of food the deer have been eating and then
where are the sources of those foods. This helps me determine travel patterns to and from feeding to bedding areas.
Where are the escape routes, if the area you are hunting is receiving a substantial amount of hunting pressure?
You want to place yourself as close to natural funnels to increase your odds of a deer in shooting range or in the
heavy cover deer often seek to avoid hunters. When the wind changes direction, how does that affect the deer
movement? I would rather not hunt a stand if the wind is wrong, even though that seemed to the most perfect spot
that particular day.
This is the time of year with all the vegetation at it’s low point, all the deer movement is as visible as it is ever
going to get. Keep in mind the current activity is related to this time of year and most likely is not the exact
patterns you will find this fall when seasons again commence. However all the evidence is there and with careful
scrutiny, you can sort out what happened over the last 3 or 4 months. With careful note taking, you will be in a
much better position, to be in place when the new season commences this fall.
As I use this time of year to sort everything out, I will start with grid approach. I find the trails with the most
concentrated use, then follow them both ways until I determine the feeding areas, then the bedding areas. Then I go
back and work at right angles to the main trails to locate the numerous secondary trails. Using the same approach, I
work out each one of these trails and slowly put the total picture together. I then take my notes, that I put together,
of the rut activity last fall and see how this connects to the current activity, if it does at all. The most common,
frustrating problem we hunters face, are the big bucks, that seem to just disappear, throughout the hunting season.
However the simple fact is, they cannot become invisible, crawl in a hole or take vacation. There are always
somewhere. The trick is, to find that somewhere. Thorough scouting this time of year, with hunting over with, tends
to be much more complete in getting the information, that is so crucial.
One other interesting occupation, that can be intertwined, is looking for shed antlers. I know for myself, finding
sheds of some of the big bucks, I have been hunting is secondary only to harvesting one. The other wonderful fact
about finding sheds, is, that buck made it through the season and odds are definitely in your favor, he will be there
again, this fall. Here in Ohio, some may shed starting around the end of December, but the majority shed from the
end of January until the end of March. That makes hunting sheds an occupation up until the time the growth starts
in the spring, which pretty much starts to obscure these treasures.
This is also a good time of year to do some housekeeping and remove limbs that may have affected your ability to
place your shot, during the last season, if you feel that stand location will merit use again during the upcoming
season. If you discover by your scouting activities, that new stand sites are in order, this gives you chance to do
some preliminary pruning, to be fine tuned later this summer.
A final thought, with leaves and other vegetation at a minimum right now, this gives you the maximum
opportunity to observe the lay of the land. Seeing the whole picture will sometimes give additional insight as to why
deer chose that particular spot for their travel. Maybe it is that small bench on the side of a slope or a small
depression on flat ground, that would normally go unnoticed, that will guide you to future success. Whitetail deer
are masters at using every bit of their bailiwick to their advantage and what might not seem like any terrain
advantage at all to us means everything to them. Besides all of the above thoughts, I add one more. I get to spend
more time doing what I enjoy the most, studying and observing the wonderful whitetail deer, when I am not hunting
them.
Have fun and above all, enjoy your time in the field,
Keith Dotterer
As I write this, most hunting seasons for whitetail deer are already closed for this year or will close shortly. This is
the time of year, while everything is still fresh in my mind, to analyze every encounter I had this past season with a
whitetail, that I wanted to shoot. If the shot was successful, if it was a miss or if no shot was able to taken, I want to
record why that particular sequence of events occurred. The successful moments are studied in order to be repeated
and the unsuccessful ones analyzed for the reasons of failure.
The four factors that control deer movement are weather, food sources, the rut and hunting pressure. Being able
to understand the impact of these factors in the area you are hunting and PLACING YOURSELF in that specific spot
as that movement is happening, as opposed to discovering it and hunting those locations after the deer have switched
to a different pattern. How many times have you discovered an awesome scrap line, set up the perfect ambush, only
to realize later the deer were using that line two weeks ago and have made adjustments since? After field dressing
every deer I harvest, I cut the stomach open, to determine the types of food the deer have been eating and then
where are the sources of those foods. This helps me determine travel patterns to and from feeding to bedding areas.
Where are the escape routes, if the area you are hunting is receiving a substantial amount of hunting pressure?
You want to place yourself as close to natural funnels to increase your odds of a deer in shooting range or in the
heavy cover deer often seek to avoid hunters. When the wind changes direction, how does that affect the deer
movement? I would rather not hunt a stand if the wind is wrong, even though that seemed to the most perfect spot
that particular day.
This is the time of year with all the vegetation at it’s low point, all the deer movement is as visible as it is ever
going to get. Keep in mind the current activity is related to this time of year and most likely is not the exact
patterns you will find this fall when seasons again commence. However all the evidence is there and with careful
scrutiny, you can sort out what happened over the last 3 or 4 months. With careful note taking, you will be in a
much better position, to be in place when the new season commences this fall.
As I use this time of year to sort everything out, I will start with grid approach. I find the trails with the most
concentrated use, then follow them both ways until I determine the feeding areas, then the bedding areas. Then I go
back and work at right angles to the main trails to locate the numerous secondary trails. Using the same approach, I
work out each one of these trails and slowly put the total picture together. I then take my notes, that I put together,
of the rut activity last fall and see how this connects to the current activity, if it does at all. The most common,
frustrating problem we hunters face, are the big bucks, that seem to just disappear, throughout the hunting season.
However the simple fact is, they cannot become invisible, crawl in a hole or take vacation. There are always
somewhere. The trick is, to find that somewhere. Thorough scouting this time of year, with hunting over with, tends
to be much more complete in getting the information, that is so crucial.
One other interesting occupation, that can be intertwined, is looking for shed antlers. I know for myself, finding
sheds of some of the big bucks, I have been hunting is secondary only to harvesting one. The other wonderful fact
about finding sheds, is, that buck made it through the season and odds are definitely in your favor, he will be there
again, this fall. Here in Ohio, some may shed starting around the end of December, but the majority shed from the
end of January until the end of March. That makes hunting sheds an occupation up until the time the growth starts
in the spring, which pretty much starts to obscure these treasures.
This is also a good time of year to do some housekeeping and remove limbs that may have affected your ability to
place your shot, during the last season, if you feel that stand location will merit use again during the upcoming
season. If you discover by your scouting activities, that new stand sites are in order, this gives you chance to do
some preliminary pruning, to be fine tuned later this summer.
A final thought, with leaves and other vegetation at a minimum right now, this gives you the maximum
opportunity to observe the lay of the land. Seeing the whole picture will sometimes give additional insight as to why
deer chose that particular spot for their travel. Maybe it is that small bench on the side of a slope or a small
depression on flat ground, that would normally go unnoticed, that will guide you to future success. Whitetail deer
are masters at using every bit of their bailiwick to their advantage and what might not seem like any terrain
advantage at all to us means everything to them. Besides all of the above thoughts, I add one more. I get to spend
more time doing what I enjoy the most, studying and observing the wonderful whitetail deer, when I am not hunting
them.
Have fun and above all, enjoy your time in the field,
Keith Dotterer
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