For me, there is no “off season.” Deer hunting is 24/7, 365 days a year and there are no two ways about it! My trail cameras run all year round. My scouting never stops. Shed hunting occupies my late winter/early spring. My mineral sites run through spring into mid summer. Yet while I’m running my minerals I’m also planting food plots. Late summer early fall is stand hanging time THEN comes opportunity, hunting.
I run all my cameras year round. This gives me the chance to see who lives on my property and who just visits. My favorite time to hang cameras is fall, during the rut. I hang 75% of my cameras on active scrapes, because those are the visitors you want on surveillance. But, in the mean time, I hang cameras on all the mineral sites and heavy trails leading to food sources.
Shed hunting is one of the best and most efficient ways come late winter to see who survived and most importantly where they hid when times got tough! Holding the antler and being able to score it gives you a better idea of how good or bad your “on the hoof” judgment is.
My mineral sites help in more ways than one. Doe lactation is key. Minerals for antler growth that time of year is also a huge plus. Hanging a trail camera on the site lets you know if it’s a proper location and what deer are using it.
Food plots, are one of my keys to success. I have food plots that I hunt and food plots that I don’t hunt. Not hunting a food plots is a greater gain then disadvantage. Planting a food plot in a sanctuary for the deer to go once in awhile where no one bothers them is a must. Clover, winter greens and turnips are my main rotation. Clover is great all year round, especially for the early bow season. The turnips and winter greens take control once the frost set in and your local corn and soybeans are harvested. The late season plots will prevail straight through the late season hunting season, deer will brows off what is left and dig up the bulbs.
Personally, I don’t like hanging stands until summer is over, cooler temps move in and fall arrives. The reason being, deer patterns change. Cover changes. Crop changes so naturally their patterns and trails change. I like to adjust with them.
Lastly, you’re hoping to get lucky. What is luck? Luck is when preparation and opportunity meet. So what fuels my off-season? There is no off-season. I hunt 365 days a year. My passion is constantly fueled.
-Russell Horn
FlatlineWhitetails 