Whitetail Instinct Volume 1:Issue 2

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Pursuit The Deer Population Characteristics Protect Our Public Lands North American Model of Conservation Common Thread Deer Vision Age Structure Turkey “The Wildlife Can’t Speak For Themselves, So Hunters Must” Hunters Wildlife Management Area Pressure Dippin’ “Deer, Simply Put, Are Color Blind.” Strips @whitetailinstinct Rods & Cones Continue “We Call Them Trophy Hunters For A Reason.” Dawn and Dusk What Is Soil pH? Trail Camera Survey “So, How Do We Get Through The Off-Season?” Full Inventory Of Bucks Moon

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March, 2016 A magazine dedicated to the average, hardworking whitetail hunter. This issue includes articles about deer vision, public land hunting, soil pH, and much more!

Transcript of Whitetail Instinct Volume 1:Issue 2

Pursuit The

Deer Population Characteristics

Protect Our

Public Lands North American Model of Conservation

Common Thread

Deer Vision Age Structure Turkey “The Wildlife Can’t Speak For Themselves, So Hunters Must”

Hunters

Wildlife Management Area Pressure Dippin’

“Deer, Simply Put, Are Color Blind.” Strips @whitetailinstinct

Rods & Cones Continue

“We Call Them Trophy Hunters For A Reason.”

Dawn and Dusk What Is Soil

pH? Trail Camera Survey

“So, How Do We Get Through The Off-Season?” Full Inventory Of Bucks

Moon

2

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In This Issue March 2016

Volume 1, Issue 2

Protecting Our Public Lands

As, hunters, we all need to step up and protect our

public lands, or they might just disappear.

Rethink Your Deer Season

Did your season not go as planned? It might be time

for you to rethink how you approach deer season.

Time To Take An Inventory

Spring is a great time to run a trail camera survey on

your property. In Part 1 of this article we tell you

how.

Turkey Dippin’ Strips

A great, easy recipe for all those whitetail hunters

who also hunt those tough gobblers.

What Does A Deer See?

This article is for those of you who have ever

wondered how a deer can see you from so far away

or pick you out in your tree stand.

Hard Earned Bucks

Trophy bucks don’t come easy, especially on public

land. But with hard work it can be done.

The Moons Effect

Does the moon actually have an effect on when an

dhow much deer move. We find out in this article.

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5

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What is Soil pH?

Soil pH has a great

effect on you food plots

overall success.

Spring Break

We give some tips to

help you get over those

off-season blues.

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Editors Thoughts

As hunters we need to protect our public lands.

Chance Vorderstrasse

A s the years have gone by I have

realized that not everybody is exactly

like me. Who would have guessed?

Just like we all live the way we want,

we all hunt the way we want. Some

choose to drive deer, yet others use

tree stands. You can use 100 decoys

or you can use six. Rifle or bow, 12

gauge or 20 gauge? The differences

are many and the reasons why are

even more abundant. Through it all

one thing remains constant. A

common thread that weaves the

fibers of our differences into a blaze

orange coat we all share. Hunting

has evolved throughout its long

history and with it so have hunters.

The North American Model of

Conservation may be the greatest

thing ever invented. The best part,

that the wildlife and land belongs to

everyone. Yes, it actually says that.

“Whilst the fundamental principles

upon which the common property in

game rests have undergone no

change, the development of free

institutions has lead [sic] to the

recognition of the fact that the power

or control lodged in the State,

resulting from the common

ownership, is to be exercised, like all

other powers of government, as a

trust for the benefit of all people, and

not as a prerogative for the

advantage of the government, as

distinct from the people, or for the

benefit of private individuals as

distinguished from the public” (161

U.S. 519, 1896). Wildlife is for all of

us, period. End of story.

Stop and think about how lucky you are as a sportsman or sportswoman to live in a country that values wildlife and conservation. Not only does it benefit hunters, but it benefits everybody. And it should stay that way. In light of recent events at Malheur Wildlife Refuge and other groups wanting to put public lands up for sale to the highest bidder, it is time that hunters come together. We are all different, there is no denying that. However, we all have one thing in common. A love for wildlife and conservation. It is that thread that binds us all together. If we don’t all come together to ensure that OUR public lands stay OUR public lands, you can bet that someone with a pocket full of cash will step in to take it for themselves. I encourage every hunter to become involved in not only this issue, but all conservation

related issues. I also invite you to visit www.sportsmanaccess.org. I am in no way connected with this organization and gain nothing from telling you to visit their website, only to help ensure future generations have access to public land. While on the website, sign the petition. By signing the petition and filling out some basic information you send a letter via email to your local senator saying you want to keep public lands public. As hunters we are all in this together. The wildlife can’t speak for themselves, so hunters must.

Chance Vorderstrasse

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Editors Thoughts

Rethink Your Deer Season

The early season anticipation is over.

The rut has run its course. The last

ditch efforts of the late season have

taken place. Deer season is over.

But as deer season ends another one

begins. Starting at about this time

every year is the season of “dreams”.

Dreams about what was and what’s

to come.

A dream can be defined as the

pursuit of an unknown outcome,

working towards something that

may or may not occur.

For most that work starts now: shed

hunting, planning food plot

locations, scouting, finding new

stand sites. All of these things are

done in the pursuit of an unknown

outcome, the pursuit of a dream.

There is no guarantee that a buck

will walk in front of your stand.

There is no guarantee that you will

still have that lease next year, that a

big buck will stay on your property,

or that the food plot you planted will

grow. But what can be guaranteed,

is the pursuit of that dream.

This season’s pursuit was not what I

had hoped for. The arrow never left

my bow, the bullet never left my

gun. There was no sightings of huge

bucks, doe sightings were hard to

come by, and in the end I didn’t

leave the woods with a deer in the

back of the truck. It was not what I

had dreamed of. I kept asking

myself , “How am I going to become

the deer hunter I want to become if

this is how my seasons are going to

go.” I realized this offseason that I

had a choice to make. I could either

dream about what could have been

and what might be in the future or I

could continue the pursuit.

This season made me understand

that the obstacles in my way weren’t

going to move just because I had a

dream. I would have to keep

working at it. The fear wasn’t going

to go away, the doubt wasn’t

leaving, and the disappointments

still happened.

It may have been disappointing this

year having to lease a piece of

ground to hunt on, having to move

stands multiple times on public land

because of hunting pressure, or

having put in hundreds of man hours

creating the perfect habitat and food

plots and still only having does walk

in front of your stand. But my advice

to you is, keep working. Keep

pushing forward, make habitat

improvements, shoot your bow a

few more times, learn all you can

learn. Change your attitude on what

you think your dream is. Change it

from one you think about every now

and then as you wait for opening

day, to one you live every day. So

one day, when you sign the papers

to your own piece of ground, hang

that record book deer on the wall, or

have your own show, you can look

back and be thankful you kept on

pursuing your dream.

I don’t know what your hunting

dream is. Maybe it is to own your

own land, to go on a hunt of a life

time, or to tag a Boone and Crocket

buck. Whatever it is, it deserves to

be pursued because in the end it is

not the goal that makes you who you

are, it’s the pursuit of it.

Brody Vorderstrasse

Co-founder: Whitetail Instinct

Brody Vorderstrasse

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Survey Trail Camera

Part 1 of our series on conducting a trail camera survey on your property.

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Survey Trail Camera

Part 1 of our series on conducting a trail camera survey on your property.

While scouting a new piece of public

ground, a Whitetail Instinct team

member and myself were finally able

to enter a piece of the property that

we hadn’t scouted before and it was

an area that we really wanted to get

into while hunting the fall before.

Because of a fear of doing more

harm than good during the season

we had waited for our post-season

scouting trip to enter this area of the

property. It turned out to be all we

had hoped it would be.

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A thick nasty bedding area adjacent to a larger river. There had

to be deer using this during the fall. As we finished up the day,

we had found trails full of deer tracks, multiple scrapes, and

multiple rubs. We knew come June we were going to have to

risk it and put trail cameras out on this piece of public ground.

Next June finally rolled around and a trail camera was put out.

After viewing the pictures we were excited to see several good

deer. The decision was made to take the camera back and leave

it for another month. Getting the camera back for a second

time, we were excited to see what deer were on the camera

again. After putting the memory card in the computer, we were

not as excited to see that we had no pictures. It wasn’t because

no deer had walked by, because I am sure they had. It was

because the memory card somehow got locked. The

disappointment was horrible. It is funny now, but when it

happened, funny was the farthest thing from our minds.

Hunters and managers love trail cameras because they get to

see what deer are using their property and are also able to track

those deer over several years. For most, it is like Christmas

morning when we get to pull cards from our trail cameras.

Keeping an inventory of bucks using your property is fun, but

trail cameras can be used for something a little more important,

estimating deer population characteristics.

This might not sound like fun to some, but I assure you it is not

as bad as it sounds. Essentially it means using your trail camera

to see how many deer are using your property. This is extremely

important and for deer managers it’s invaluable knowledge. You

don’t have to be a biologist to do a trail camera survey, the math

is pretty simple and it can really help you improve your property.

Population Characteristics

There are many characteristics of a deer populations, these

characteristics can help you or a biologist make

recommendations about harvest rates, habitat changes, and

much more. The first thing a trail camera survey can tell you is

buck to doe ratio. We mentioned this in the second part of our

October web series and also in the last issue of the Whitetail

Instinct Magazine when we talked about how many does you

should harvest. This is simply the number of adult does to adult

bucks in the population. Deer populations that lean heavily

towards does means you are harvesting way too many bucks.

Your property would benefit from an increased doe harvest.

Ratios between 3 does to 1 buck and a 1 to 1 ratio are all

considered acceptable based on what your management goals

are.

Age structure of the deer population on your property can also

be determined by a trail camera survey. This relates to how

many deer are in each age class. If like most, you are concerned

with growing larger deer, what you should be concerned with is

the age structure of your property. An even age structure is

considered very important and should be a goal of all property

owners. This means letting young bucks grow old and harvesting

older age class deer. For most this is what you are already

aiming to do. Conducting a trail camera survey allows you to see

where you actually stand when it comes to those goals.

Setting Up The Survey

To wrap up this article we tell you how to set up and start your

trail camera survey. As this article will be published in March

you will be able to conduct your survey in a few months.

Typically, surveys are conducted in August so that individual

bucks can be differentiated. Then in the June issue of the

magazine we will tell you how to interpret the data and do the

math that is required to get your results.

The first thing to realize with trail camera surveys is that their

accuracy increases as camera density and length of survey

increases. For the best trail camera survey it is recommended

by the Mississippi State Deer Lab that you conduct your trail

camera surveys in an area that will not have acorns competing

with your bait pile and with a camera density of 1 camera every

100 acres for a length of 10-14 days. Remember to review state

laws for baiting. It may help to obtain an aerial photo to

determine where to place trail cameras. For the best results

place cameras in areas where deer frequent so you can get a

maximum number of photos. Once you have a site chosen, clear

away vegetation and tree limbs from the area. This ensures a

clear picture. Always try to point the camera north and also

include a sign with each station’s number that can be seen in the

photos. Record this number on your aerial map.

Prebaiting each station is also recommended. You should do

this for 4-6 days before you start the survey. Prebait by

spreading around 20 pounds of shelled corn at each camera site.

Program the cameras with time and date and set them to take

pictures every 5 minutes. Place the camera at a distance from

the bait pile recommended by the manufacturer.

Make sure to check your cameras and bait piles every other day.

When you pick up memory cards, download pictures to a folder

specific for each camera site. Change out memory cards and

batteries if necessary.

Continue to monitor your cameras for the next two weeks. Soon

you will be able to calculate the results of your survey. The

results will help your produce healthier deer and manage your

property more effectively. Remember to check back for the next

issue of Whitetail Instinct Magazine for the conclusion of

conducting your own trail camera survey.

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Deer Camp

Bedding Recipes

Something for

the turkey

hunters!

INGREDIENTS Turkey Breast (Cut into 1/2 thick strips) 1/2 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper Cooking/Frying Oil

1 Cup Buttermilk 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder

2 Cups of Flower 1/2 Tablespoon Black Pepper

1) Cut your turkey into 1/2 inch thick strips.

2) Add enough buttermilk to submerge strips

We found it took more than 1/2 cup. Make sure you have plenty of buttermilk.

3) Put a few turkey strips into the buttermilk.

4) Take flower, pepper, and onion powder into bowl.

We found it takes a lot of seasoning to be able to notice it. Don’t be afraid to add a lot. And you can use almost anything

you want.

5) Take strip out of buttermilk and into seasonings and flower. Cover turkey strip.

6) Shake off excess flour.

7) Next pour cooking oil into frying pan and heat.

8) Once oil is hot insert turkey strips.

9) Cook until outside is golden brown and crunchy.

(Always make sure meat is thoroughly cooked)

10) Continue until all strips are cooked.

This recipe taken from Midwest Whitetail May 25, 2015 Off-Season Main Show

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Whitetail What Is Inside

The Color Spectrum

Predator VS Prey

“The retina in a deer’s eye contains two types of

specialized, light sensitive cells called rods and

cones. One main difference between the eyes of

deer and humans can be seen when we compare

the number of rods and cones.”

“Deer are, simply put, color blind. This means deer can

distinguish blue from red, but not green from red, or

orange from red. The color deer see best is blue and they

can also see yellows and UV light. “

“Almost everyone knows that prey animals, like

deer, have their eyes positioned on the side of

their heads. This allows them to have a 300 de-

gree field of view, compared to about 120 degrees

for humans. “

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The past 15 to 20 years have seen a dramatic increase in

the amount of technology being used to help hunters.

Optics, scent elimination products, and weapons have all

undergone their own revolutions. All for the purpose of

tilting the advantage in favor of the hunter. But are

these products actually helping us in the field or just

giving us a false sense of security.

The most obvious product revolution in hunting is the

camo clothing that we wear. The detail and realism of

today’s camouflage makes it seem like you will be

invisible when you enter the woods, but is it really any

better than the surplus army camo hunters used to wear.

In the next few paragraphs we will take a look at a

whitetails vision and try to understand what a deer sees.

How a Whitetail’s Eye Differs From Ours

So what makes a whitetail’s eye different from a

humans? Well, it all starts with what’s inside the eye.

The retina in a deer’s eye contains two types of

specialized, light sensitive cells called rods and cones.

The rods are more sensitive to light, therefore, they help

with nighttime vision, but the down side is that they

don’t see color. The cones are less sensitive to light, but

allows them to see colors. One main difference between

the eyes of deer and humans can be seen when we

compare the number of rods and cones. Deer have more

rods, but a lower number of cones. This means that

there nighttime vision is better than ours, but they have

worse daylight and color vision. Studies have found that

deer possess only two types of cones rather than the

three that humans have. So what is the significance of

lacking a certain type of cone? It affects what colors a

deer can see.

A Whitetail’s Color Spectrum

Humans have three types of cones. One that is sensitive

to short, medium, and long wavelengths. This allows us

to see blues, greens, and reds. Deer, however, lack the

red cone. Deer are, simply put, color blind. This means

deer can distinguish blue from red, but not green from

red, or orange from red. Although it may seem like

humans have an advantage when it comes to sight, deer

can see wavelengths of light that hunters can’t. Deer

sense colors better towards the violet end of the

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spectrum, which allows them to see blues and ultraviolet

better than humans can. In conclusion, shades of reds and

greens appear to deer as different shades of gray. The

color deer see best is blue and they can also see yellows

and UV light.

Deer and UV Light

The theory is that UV brighteners in clothing and

detergents make a hunter stand out more to a deer.

Humans can’t see UV light because we possess a UV filter

that helps protect our eyes. Deer do not have this UV

filter. This allows them to see UV light, but it still makes it

hard for deer to see fine detail. Since they lack this filter,

it would be highly likely that deer see UV light better than

we do. To what degree we stand out is still fairly

unknown. It is theorized that deer might see a slight blue

tint in our clothes when they look at us.

Predator versus Prey

Almost everyone knows that prey animals, like deer, have

their eyes positioned on the side of their heads. This

allows them to have a 300 degree field of view, compared

to about 120 degrees for humans. An increased field of

view is not the only advantage a deer has because of the

position of their eyes.

The wide position of the eye creates the need for a pupil

that is more rectangular and horizontal than a humans is.

This allows more light to filter in, helping with low light

conditions. There is also something called a tapetum

lucidum. This is a reflective layer that gives deer “eye

shine”. It also reflects light back over the rods and cones

again, giving deer a second chance at using light they

didn’t use the first time. Essentially, they are using the

same light twice.

Another advantage to having a more horizontal pupil is

that it gives deer greater detail along a horizontal swath in

the middle of their field of vision. This means that an

object a deer is looking at straight on is equally in focus as

something out to the side. Our view is different from deer

because we have a fairly small area of focus that we move

around very quickly. This allows us to see things in great

focus as long as we are centered on it, otherwise our

peripheral vision is very blurry. While the pupil may give

the deer a wide range of vision, it is limited in both depth

perception and height. Deer can only see what’s at a

horizontal level in the middle of their view. So objects up

high and down low are out of focus for deer, which might

be one reason why tree stands are so effective for hunter

concealment. Their depth perception is also limited to

that same horizontal view. They only have depth

perception for a 60-degree area where their vision

overlaps in the front of them. So a deer can’t tell how far

away you are unless their nose is pointed in your

direction.

A deer’s eyes also have the ability to rotate

independently. This is called cyclovergence and it is done

to maintain the pupil’s alignment with the horizon. This

allows the deer to keep its pupils horizontal and maintain

a panoramic view of its surroundings when it is eating.

What Does This Mean For Hunters

So how does this affect you as a hunter? First, avoid

wearing the color blue. This shouldn’t be too hard as

many of us don’t enter the woods unless we are covered

in camo. It becomes a little trickier when you look at

which camo you should wear. Wearing camo with a lot of

white in it is a bad thing because white colors will reflect

all wavelengths, including the ones deer can see. Also, all

the detail that the human eye can pick up in the camo that

we wear may actually make you stick out more to the

deer. A camo pattern that has many subtle shades of

greens and browns (to create depth) will just look like one

color because deer can’t differentiate between the

different colors and details like we can.

In the end camo is made to be attractive to us, but that

doesn’t mean you shouldn’t where it. One important

thing that camo does, is to break up your pattern. A

deer’s vision in daylight hours is very average. So having a

pattern that breaks up your outline and blends into the

surroundings is very important to staying hidden.

Ultimately a deer’s vision is based off movement. It

determines its threats by being familiar with its

surroundings and picking out new things and determining

if an object is moving or stationary. So limiting your

movements is the best thing you can do to remain hidden.

Personally, I like wearing camo. It is kind of like the

saying “If you look good. You play good.” If you are

comfortable and confident when you are in the stand you

will perform better when the moment of truth arrives.

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Public Land Hunting Blue Collar Bucks

Hunting has always been a blue collar sport.

In recent years hunting has evolved into a

money game, often pricing average hunters

out of the equation. Property owners now

value hunting land and the deer that call

that land home more than they have in the

past. Lease prices have doubled, even

tripled and hunters are having trouble

finding quality land to hunt. Public land is

often laughed at in many hunting camps

and many refuse to hunt it. This is a huge

mistake. Through habitat stamps and

license fees, you have paid for this land.

You might as well use it. As long as you

follow the rules, no one can deny you

access and you will always have a place to

hunt. Those of you who turn your nose up

at public land whitetail hunting, pay

attention to the next few paragraphs. That

is, if you are still reading.

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No Quality Habitat

Many say that the numerous public

lands available to hunt do not contain

the quality habitat necessary to hold

deer. If you know anything about deer

hunting, you should know that a buck

doesn’t care what the habitat looks

like. If it has food, cover, and water,

he will be there. Finding good public

land that meets those requirements

requires research. A good place to

start are aerial maps. Google Maps or

any other online mapping services are

great tools and are often provided for

free. These maps are simple to use

and give you a good idea of the type

of habitat and terrain found on a piece

of public land. While aerial maps can

give you a good start, nothing beats

putting boots on the ground. There is

nothing like seeing a property in

person. Many terrain features and

subtle habitat changes can’t be seen

from online maps. If there is a way to

view the property in person, it should

always be done. What a property

looks like in a picture may not even be

close to what it looks like in person. A

property that may look to have only a

few stand locations may actually have

many. A property with what looks like

minimal cover may actually have

abundant cover. February is a great

time to scout public land. You won’t

disturb any other hunters and any

deer you run into will have long for-

gotten the encounter by opening day.

Look for pinch points, oak trees and

other food sources, as well as possible

stand locations. It takes some

walking, but it will be well worth it in

the fall. When looking at public land

maps or scouting in person, you

should also look for water. Most

public lands in the Midwest are

located near a river or water source.

Ask any hunter an ideal place for a

hunting property and along the Re-

publican River in Nebraska or the

Missouri River in Nebraska, Iowa,

South Dakota or Missouri will probably

be one of their top choices. These

rivers provide fertile soil and the

moisture necessary to grow quality

food and provide adequate cover.

There is plenty of public land along

both of these rivers and others that

provide quality hunting. Finding good

public land is not as impossible as

some make it out to be, it just takes a

little work.

Pressure

Probably the most common reason

hunters choose not to hunt public land

is pressure. I can say for a fact that

public land, at least in the Midwest, is

not as crowded as everybody says. It

may be a different story in places like

Wisconsin and Michigan where hunter

densities are high. Again, it comes

down to research and getting boots on

the ground. Some areas may be hunt-

ed more than others. In that case, you

can stay and accept the challenge that

comes with hunting pressured deer or

move to a different property. From

personal experience I have seen a

WMA that had 8 people hunting a 200

acre area and no more than 3 were

ever hunting at the same time. Again I

wouldn’t call 8 people on 200 acres

overly crowded, but to each his own.

So if that is too crowded for you, not 5

miles to the west on an even better

WMA, I hunted all season and saw

only three other bow hunters. Yep,

that’s right. We had 250 acres of

public land all to ourselves. That is

more land than most hunters will ever

be able to afford. There was not a

single Saturday morning from October

through December that we saw

another hunter. Crowded, I don’t

think so. Of course, when you don’t

control who hunts a piece of property

it can be frustrating. Not everybody

hunts the same as you, practices good

scent control or uses smart hunting

tactics. You may even encounter duck

or pheasant hunters. But I am sure

each of you has dealt with an unruly

neighbor on a piece of adjacent pri-

vate hunting property. We will never

be able to get away from those who

choose to hunt in the, let us just say,

untraditional ways. You will

encounter it on private land just as

much as you do on public land. Each

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“If you enjoy a challenge, public

land whitetails are exactly that.”

state is different, but you can find a

public land hot spot with little

pressure.

No Deer

Finally, trophy hunters say there are

no deer, or no big deer, on public

land. We call them trophy hunters for

a reason. They only shoot huge deer

and listening to them about public

land is a huge mistake. To a degree I

agree with them. The next world

record will probably not be taken on

public land. But, I have seen some

giant deer taken on public land. If you

are like the trophy hunters and only

18 points and 200 inches will do, then

public land is not for you. If you want

a solid 4x4, 5x5 or bigger, then public

land will suit you just fine. I saw deer

nearly every trip this past fall, and I

am sure this is the case on many other

public lands across the Midwest. You

have to be willing to put in the time

and effort to scout and find quality

stand locations. Getting out of the

truck and walking 200 yards to a ran-

dom tree and hoping a deer walks by

will not cut it. I have said it through-

out this article, but I will say it again.

This type of hunting takes work.

Those that are complaining about not

seeing deer are not working hard

enough. For those who complain

about not seeing huge deer, you need

to take a step back and think about

the reason you started hunting in the

first place. The reason you loved

hunting so much as a child. That rea-

son is different for everybody, but I

bet you it has little to do with how

many inches your buck scored. I am

an outdoorsman, not just a hunter. If I

only enjoyed killing deer, the passion I

have for whitetails would have been

gone long ago and I am sure many of

you feel the same way. There are

plenty of quality deer and meat for

the freezer on public land.

Conclusion

I am not going to lie, it is not easy. It

takes hard work to kill deer on public

land. You have to always be willing to

learn and let every deer encounter

teach you something. I would love

one thousand acres to myself, but if I

am honest, the challenges faced on

public land increase the enjoyment.

Hunting public land is a huge decision

and it does take some time to learn

the differences between public and

private land whitetail hunting. It takes

a blue collar work ethic and hard work

to take a buck on public land and it is

not for everyone. If you enjoy a

challenge, public land whitetails are

exactly that. A trophy is a trophy if

the hunter believes it is. If you are

lucky enough to take a deer on public

land and others think your trophy

deer is otherwise, tell them thanks for

buying their permits because it is

paying for some great hunting land.

Follow Us on Instagram @whitetailinstinct

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The Moon and Deer Movement

If you are like me, you may spend most of the offseason

searching through magazines and webpages for information on

the newest whitetail hunting strategies. One topic that always

seems to show up is the moon. In the last publication we

tackled the topic of how the moon may affect the timing of

the rut. In this issue we will look at how the moon affects

deer movement.

Circadian or Nocturnal?

So what does the biology of a deer suggest about

their movement patterns? The structures and

function of their eyes that we addressed earlier

in this issues suggest that they are nocturnal,

but the fact that deer are ruminants suggests

otherwise. A deer’s eyes are specifically

adapted to seeing in low light conditions,

so like we all know, they are going to

restrict most of their movement to the

last few minutes before sunrise and

sunset. The ruminant component

of their biology, however, may

indicate that they are more

circadian because of the

digestion process.

A study by QDMA sheds

some light on how deer

sleep. They state that

deer sleep in short

periods that are

followed by alert

phases, flowing

in a repeating

cycle. This

sleeping

style

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Moon and Deer Movement also suggests that deer are more active throughout the

entire night, because like us they don’t need significant

amounts of sleep for their bodies to recover.

Which Phase is Better?

A study by Texas Tech University in 1985 found that deer

activity was more prominent during dawn and dusk when

the moon phase was ¼ to ¾. The full moon and moonless

phases lessened this activity. So why are some phases

more successful than others? It may have to do with

comfort level. The quarter moon phases produce less

light during the night then the full moon phase. This

means that deer are going to feel safer in the low light

conditions. Thus, when there is a full moon, the

increased moon shine will cause the deer to feel less safe

out in the open. The assumption for moonless nights is

that the darkness makes it harder for deer to see at night.

So they concentrate their movements during the day.

Hunters Advantage?

The following paragraph is the suggested theory deer

hunters should follow if they are hunting based

on moon phases.

If there is a full moon the suggestion is to hunt

midday. Deer movement will be less overall, with

less movement during dawn and dusk.

On moonless nights, the lack of light during the night

means the best time to hunt will also be during

the day.

On the days where there is a quarter moon, the best

time to hunt is the typical low light times of dawn

and dusk.

Conclusion

Just like my thoughts on how the moon phase affects the

rut, I think that a lot of other factors affect deer

movement on your property. Obviously, a common one

is food. The number, closeness, type, and size of the food

sources on your property are going to affect when deer

move. If the food sources are farther away and the deer

are bedding on your property they may have to move

earlier to get to those foods sources. If you have a

significant source of mast crops on your property like

acorns, the deer on your property may hold up in those

areas before moving to the agricultural fields later in the

night. If the size of your food plots are small, it may also

affect when deer move. Early on in the season deer may

come to your food sources on a regular basis very early

because the food plots act as a staging area. But once

they eat through your food plot, it may no longer act as

an early staging area.

I also think the main component of deer movement is

comfort. A deer isn’t going to move anywhere or at any

time, if it doesn’t feel safe. Pressure can totally change

when deer move on your property. If there is enough

pressure the deer may move strictly at night, not because

they want to, but because it is the safest. If you are

hunting pressured deer on public land or have very active

neighbors, hunting the moon phases may not work to

well.

As we all know, deer are going to move the most during

the low light times of dawn and dusk. There isn’t much

that is going to change the fact that deer move during

this time. If a whitetails world remains constant, so will

there movement. This, however, rarely happens as

pressure, habitat, and weather are always changing. So,

ultimately, we return to the fact that hunting at dawn and

dusk is the best time to be in the woods. For me, I am

going to be in the woods whenever I can because I

believe that other factors like hunting pressure and

weather affect movement more.

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The Dirt...

on Dirt

The Dirt On Dirt

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The Dirt On Dirt

Now is the time of year when

the off season preparation

starts to get underway. One

major tool many land mangers

use is a soil survey. Soil

surveys can give you valuable

information about the soil on

your property.

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One thing most hunters see in their report

when they get there soil surveys back is

that their soil pH is low. This publication’s

Dirt on Dirt takes a look at what exactly

soil pH is and why it can be detrimental to

your habitat management goals.

The soil pH is a measure of how acidic your

soil is. The pH of your soil will affect the

growth of plants on your property and the

microorganisms in the soil that help the

plants grow. As most know, a low pH

value means the soil is acidic and a high pH

means the soil is basic. Both of which can

be a bad thing for your soil. The pH of a

soil a soil affects the availability of

nutrients that plants need to grow. The

graph below shows the important

nutrients involved in plant growth and

how soil pH affects their availability in the

soil. The most effective pH for a soil is

right in the middle between 6 and 7.

Figure 1 shows the common classes of soil

pH. The pH also affects the activity of

microorganisms that help make nutrients

available for the plants to use. A bad pH

can also make some pesticides ineffective.

So how does a soil become acidic? It can

be grouped into four main categories. The

first one is the direct addition of acidic H+.

Most of this occurs naturally because of

the growth of plant roots or when

ammonium fertilizers are added to the

soil. The second practice is the creation of

carbon dioxide. This occurs when

microorganisms break down dead plant

material or when rain passes through the

soil. The third practice is the removal of

basic cations from the soil through

leaching. The final practice is the addition

and decomposition of organic materials,

again a process that happens naturally. As

one can see most of the processes that

create an acidic soil happen natural, which

is why it is important to continuously

monitor your soil pH.

How To Fix An Acidic Or Basic Soil

The best thing to do to fix an acidic soil is

apply lime. Lime is very effective in

neutralizing an acidic soil. The reaction

works better when the soil temperature is

warm and when there is a lot of moisture

in the soil. Your local soil testing

laboratories will be able to tell you how

much lime should be added to your soil

based on the clay content and organic

matter present. Fixing a basic soil,

however, is a lot harder. Some soils can

be fixed with an application of acidic

organic materials or by using a source of

sulfur, but that can get very expensive.

Adding gypsum and then allowing it to be

leached through the soil with irrigation

water is also a common practice, but can

cause some concern about downstream

runoff. It is better for a land owner in this

situation to find plants that are more

Figure 1

Extremely Acidic 3.5-4.4

Very Strongly Acidic 4.5-5.0

Strongly Acidic 5.1-5.5

Moderately Acidic 5.6-6.0

Slightly Acidic 6.1-6.5

Neutral 6.6-7.3

Slightly Alkaline 7.4-7.8

Moderately Alkaline 7.9-8.4

Highly Alkaline 8.5-9.0

Graph

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Published By...

A Division of Whitetail Instinct

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NOW THAT DEER SEASON IS OVER, HERE ARE 3 IDEAS TO GET YOU THROUGH THE START OF A LONG OFF

I could feel it. Without a doubt it was there. Riding the breeze and floating

through the leaves. Something had changed. I couldn’t quite figure out what it

was, but something had definitely changed. Was it just my anticipation, my

wanting so hard for the best three months of the year? There is no way to

explain the way a whitetail hunter feels when October finally rolls around. May is

nice and June is just fine, but when you are finally able to flip the calendar to

October, hope begins to build and big buck dreams await. The problem is getting

to October. Whitetails consume our minds. We analyze over every detail. Did

we put our tree stand in the right spot? Are the deer still feeding in the same

field? Have we done everything we need to do? Every year is more special than

the last. High hopes met more often than not with just more disappointment.

Despite all the heartbreaks and missed shots, opening day couldn

away. The wait almost unbearable, as it seems to get longer and longer each

passing year.

There was nothing different about the day. It was only slightly colder and the

wind had actually slowed. But yet I could feel it in the air. I

it. It

like if I closed my eyes maybe, just maybe, when I opened them it would be deer

season. But I didn

season. It would only make the next months even more unbearable than they

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NOW THAT DEER SEASON IS OVER, HERE ARE 3 IDEAS TO GET YOU THROUGH THE START OF A LONG OFF-SEASON.

t quite figure out what it

explain the way a whitetail hunter feels when October finally rolls around. May is

October, hope begins to build and big buck dreams await. The problem is getting

field? Have we done everything we need to do? Every year is more special than

the last. High hopes met more often than not with just more disappointment.

Despite all the heartbreaks and missed shots, opening day couldn’t be farther

away. The wait almost unbearable, as it seems to get longer and longer each

passing year.

There was nothing different about the day. It was only slightly colder and the

wind had actually slowed. But yet I could feel it in the air. I’m sure I could smell

it. It’s only early March but I can definitely feel it. The first day in months I felt

like if I closed my eyes maybe, just maybe, when I opened them it would be deer

season. But I didn’t dare close my eyes. Because I knew darn well it wasn’t deer

season. It would only make the next months even more unbearable than they

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already would be. Who was I kidding?

There was a chill in the March air, but

not like November. The sunset was

perfect, but not like the partly cloudy

orange, red sunset of October.

I guess I am obsessed. You would

have to be to think March felt like

November. But whitetails have a way

of doing that to a person. The

constant planning and thought. The

worry when a buck suddenly

disappears from trail camera photos.

The long nights trying to sleep, but all

you can think about is the “what if”.

What if it actually all comes together?

Isn’t that what we do this for? The

one time it all falls into place.

So, how do we get through the off-

season? An off-season that has only

just begun. Here are a few reasons to

get off the couch this spring and get in

touch with deer season once again.

Scouting

The early part of the off-season

between February and March is a

great time to get out in the woods and

to either look at a new property or

scout your old property again. When

scouting a new property it helps to

look at aerial maps first, to help you

pinpoint a small area to scout on foot

once you get there. This helps you to

be more efficient when scouting and

saves you time. Some of the main

signs to look for are rubs and deer

travel routes. Rub lines are easy to

find this time of the year and are a

great indicator of where bucks were

traveling last year during the rut. You

can bet that bucks will be traveling the

same routes again this year. Also look

for where deer are traveling on your

property. Travel routes, like rubs are

easy to see this time of the year and

can help you by letting you know how

deer are using your property and what

direction of travel the deer are using.

This will let you know where to hang

stands and where to plant food plots.

Early spring is a great time to get out

in the woods and scout. I often find

that after a good scouting session, I

can’t wait for deer season because I

have learned so much information

that I can’t wait to use. The bonus

shed antler is always great too.

Hinge Cutting

Another great early spring activity is

hinge cutting. This is a great way to

make your property more attractive to

deer. Hinge cutting involves cutting

partially through a small diameter

tree, then pushing the tree over so

that part of the tree is still connected

to the base. This allows the tree to

survive for a limited amount of time,

while providing food and cover. You

can use hinge cuts in many ways. The

first is for screens. If you have access

routes that require you to walk near

where deer may see you, you can use

hinge cuts to create a visual block for

the deer. You can also create screens

along the outside of your food plots.

This makes deer feel more secure

while eating in your field and may

entice them to enter the field earlier

in the evening. You can also hinge cut

trees to create more bedding cover.

Hinge cut trees at about the height of

a little higher than your waist to create

quality bedding cover. You can do this

to enhance current bedding areas or

to create new bedding areas that

make you a more efficient hunter, by

making deer bed where you want

them to. Also, while you have your

chain saw you can selectively cut a few

old, or nonproductive trees to allow

more light to the forest floor. This will

then create a rush of new growth in

late spring that makes great browse

and increases fawning cover.

Food Plots

Now is the time to start planning and

planting those food plots. Take

another look at your aerial maps and

start to plan what crops are going to

go where. Also, take a look at what

worked well last year and what didn’t

and adjust your plan. Make note of

how the deer were using your

property last hunting season. Where

can you plant a food plot that will

increase the deer movement through

your property? Once you have found

that spot, if it is an open area, what do

you need to do to prepare for

planting? Do you need to disk, spray

herbicide, control burn or a little of all

three? If this area is located in an area

with trees, do you need to remove any

trees or is it open enough already? If

trees need removed, now is a great

time to do that.

As you know it’s an addiction. I don’t

have to tell you that. You can feel it

too. Whitetails have a power over us

we will never be able to shake. Bucks

will eventually shed their velvet and

the leaves will change color. The

temperature change will no longer be

only in our imagination. The off-

season can’t last forever. It will

eventually yield to fall. Get ready,

because whitetail season will be here

before you know it.

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