Are you looking for a way to increase your chances of bagging a deer this year? If so, you may want to spruce up your hunting grounds before the start of deer season. Here’s how to do it:
Create a Food Trail
In my experience, one of the best ways to attract deer to your hunting grounds is to provide them with a food trail. Creating a food trail is an easy and inexpensive task to complete. Start by locating a well worn deer trail. Once you’ve found a good location, take the time to plant wheat or other fast growing plants that the deer will be attracted to along the trail. I’d suggest that you consider planting winter wheat with a mixture of rye and red clover. Allow the plants to grow naturally. If you plant the wheat and other fast growing flora at the right time, it should be ready for the deer to eat in time for deer hunting season.
Create a Watering Hole
Based on my experience, man-made watering holes are also known to attract deer. There are several ways to create a man-made watering hole. One of the most classic ways to get the job done is to dig a hole with a shovel. Of course you’ll want to make sure that you dig your watering hole in the right location. I have found that some of the best places to dig a watering hole are at the base of a steep embankment or in a spot where the water table is known to be low. You’ll also want to select a spot where the soil is primarily composed of clay.
Blaze a Trail Through Thickets
Is your hunting area full of dense thickets? If so, I’d recommend that you consider using a machete or a chain saw to half-cut a path through the thickets for the deer to travel on. My family and I have done this before with much success. Once we made the path, it took the deer less than a month to start using it on a regular basis. I’d suggest that if you do decide to blaze a trail through your property’s thickets that you wear heavy work gloves, long pants and long sleeves. Otherwise, you’re apt to end up with a lot of cuts and scrapes all over your arms, legs and hands.
Does your hunting area have a lot of tall grass as well as thickets? If so, I’d suggest that you cut a path through the grass as well. My family and I will typically create pathways through the tall grass on our property with our lawn mower. We’ve found it to be the best tool for the job. You may want to try and do the same. I’d also recommend that you place the trail in an area that leads to places that the deer would want to frequent like a watering hole or a bedding area.
Remove or Lower Fencing
Last but not least, you may want to consider removing or lowering a section of fence wire that may be located on your property. That way the deer will be able to cut through your hunting grounds without having to work their way around a wire fence. If you don’t want to cut the fence wire, I have found that tying the top fence wire to one of the lower fence wires will work in a pinch.
Source: Personal Experience
Killeen Gonzalez enjoys the great outdoors with her family. She has also traveled extensively.
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