Steves monthly to do list
General
Setting Goals
Lime a-z
What to plant
Creating holding plots
Food plot shapes and sizes
Screening an approach
How many deer do you want
Formulating a plan
Laying out a property/dictating movement
Sanctuaries
Removing does without harming buck hunting
Stand hunting formula
Browse guide
Map reading
Equipment buyers guide
Budgeting your goals
Analyzing adjoining properties
Not over pressuring your deer
Aging deer and evaluating the deer you harvest
Importance of a deer journal
Topics
January
Winter scouting (Dec, Jan, Feb, March, April)
Find bedding, feeding and connecting routes
If lack of snow, find rut sign
Tear apart sanctuaries
Remove stands (Dec, Jan, Feb)
If leaving out, we do not recommend this, loosen and remove seats
Evaluating year round nutrition(Dec, Jan, Feb, March)
Gauge woody browse production
How much grain is left
How much brassicas
Tree dropping for browse (Dec, Jan, Feb)
TSI
Plan for undetected entrance
Forester for tree IDing
Don’t go half way
ID best mast producing trees
ID undesirable trees
Tagging trees to keep for loggers
Do it yourselfers
Know your limits
Hinge cut trees to be left
Lean/notch/angle cut
Girdle technique on large trees
Winter tillage (Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb…do fall tillage in studio at same time)
When winter tillage is the right choice
Over grown areas
Food plot failure
Food source depletion
Great for breaking down debris and lime
Disadvantage when any food is present
Disc (If spraying isn’t an option, repeat 5 days later)
Lime
Light Disc
Frost Seeding
Best in previously planted, low weed areas
Cultipack
Frost seed
Applying fert on top
Traditional planting
Best in thick grass/heavy weed areas
Fert
Light disc
Cultipack
Spray
Seed
Cultipack
Shed hunting (Jan, Feb, March)
Inspect planted food sources
What condition
Will annuals require replanting
Spring rejuvenation
Is frost seeding an option
Amount of exposed soil
Crawling weeds
How much is left
Inspect woody browse areas
Following trails
Inspecting bedding areas
Are they in good locations
Do they provide adequate cover
Is there a shortage of thick bedding areas
Providing ground cover through hinge cutting
Providing ground cover through TSI
Is there a shortage of thermal cover
10’ staggered spruce
10’ staggered cedars
White cedars
Red cedars
Are there advantageous areas to establish bedding areas
Inspect sanctuaries
Do they provide adequate cover
At least 60% ideally thick and nasty blocks w mature 50 yard wide strips
Is TSI or hinge cutting in order
Do they provide adequate woody browse
Water sources
February
Hinge cutting (Dec, Jan, Feb, March)
Good in sanctuaries and bedding sites
Quarter to 1 acre sized
Position them with hunting in mind
Take advantage of funnels
Think safe approach
OK to leave 1 or 2 oaks
Points
Flats
Hip to chest level, 45 degrees, 70-80% through
Deer trail creations (Feb, March, April, May, June, July)
Dictating movement to deer for hunting
32” wide
Y technique
Funnel creation (Feb, March, April, May, June, July)
Dictating movement to deer
Fences
Creak crossings
Blockades
Minerals (Feb, March, April, May, June, July, August)
Vitamins for deer
Digestibility
1-2 per 40 acres
Scouting placement
Spring and summer food plot placements
Clearing for kill plots (Dec, Jan, Feb, March, April, May, June, July)
Location
Soil types
Accessibility for hunting
Feeling of safety
Relationship to holding plots
Shape
Size
Blockade
Dozer
Chain saw
March
Soil testing (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, March, April, May, June, July…also film fall plots intro)
Why important
Random samples
Note the desired planting
Frost seeding (March, April)
What will it work with (clovers, birdsfoot trefoil, chicory, alfalfa, with a risk/not is existing stands)
When will it work with existing plots
Need bare dirt
Lack of ground vine weeds
When will it work best on new plantings
Weed free annual plot
Worked ground of existing plots
Risk on fall or winter tilled new ground
Timing
Broadcast at 125% on bare grounds, about 8lbs per acre on existing plots
Lime (all months)
What type is required
How much to apply
Apple tree pruning (Feb, March, April, before leafy growth begins)
Required yearly
Promotes increased apple production
How to
What to prune
Suckers
Broken or rubbing/crossing branches
Downward pointing branches
Branches pointing almost straight up
Whorls (smaller branch at same level on opposite side of tree)
Only 1 main leader
Neglected trees
Pruned over 3 years
No fert when pruned heavily
New trees
Cut to height of 32” 1st year
Cut ends years 2 & 3
April
Spring burns (Feb, March, April, May)
Why burn
Duff control
Chokes plant growth
Releases nutrients back into soil
Weed control
Promotes warm and cool season grasses growth, 20% protein
What areas benefit from burns
Meadows
CRP grounds (check contract for burn dates)
Areas where tree growth not desired
How to burn
Conditions
Humidity between 50-70%
40-60 degrees
Steady wind between 3-7 mph
Supplies
Wear fireproof pants, boots, shirt, gloves, helmet and shield
Water tank
Spray tank
12”x18” piece of reinforced rubber attached to handle
Torch
Disc
Disc strips 20`minimum, we recommend 30` along entire edge
Back burn until 20 yards out
Strip burn back
Maintenance fertilizing (April, May, June, July, August)
0-20-20 at 300# per acre.
Apply fertilizer when plants are dry.
Native forage fertilizing (April, May, June, July)
Pell lime and 13-13-13 fert 100/100 per acre
Mast tree fertilizing (April, May)
pH test 6.5-7
Must be done in spring
First few years, 2 cups around drip line, Mature, ½ ice cream pail apple trees/full for oaks max
10-10-10 slow release fert
Clover and alfalfa food plot creation (March, April, May, early June, late July, August)
Spray
Disc
Fert & Lime
Light disc
Clutipack
Spray
Broadcast
Cultipack
May
Hanging in-woods stands (March, April, May, June, July, August)
Keeps deer ignorant
Trim fairly aggressive
3’ shooting lanes
All trails, 4 directions
If stands limited, remove
Return later to add safety accessories
Tree plantings for cover &/or apple trees (April, May, early June)
Do it right or don’t bother
10’ rows/10` spacing, staggered
Don’t plant too deep or mound
Water
No fert first 2 years
Protect
Native grass plantings(March, April, May, early June)
Plant fall/winter annual option
Spray
Burn
Drill ¼-1/2” deep
June
Fruit tree maintenance (May, June, July, August)
Water
Check protections
Grain plots (May, June, early July)
Round Up Ready seeds
Drill
Double plant
Pond creations (All months)
Location
Between bedding and feeding
Just inside woods, next to food
Should collect some runoff
Soil type determines is liner is required
Mowing clovers and alfalfa (May, June, July, August, early Sept)
Leave 4-6” tall
Don’t mow during drought
Helps clover to be bailed, alfalfa must be
July
Salvaging food plots (June, July, August)
Clovers will often rebound with fall rains
Water tank option
Must water twice a week
Water late afternoons
Soil testing for fall plots (All months)
Why important
Random samples
Note the desired planting
Maintenance spraying of grain plots (June, July, August)
Spray w Round Up
Maintenance spraying for alfalfa and clovers (June, July, August)
Spray with Select during non-drought period
Clover and alfalfa food plot creatio (March, April, May, early June, late July, August)
Spray (optional)
Disc
Fert & Lime
Light disc
Clutipack
Spray
Broadcast
Cultipack
August
Fall boost fertilizing (July, August, early Sept)
0-20-20 or similar fertilizer at the rate of 300# per acre
Apply fertilizer when plants are dry.
Contact fertilizer
Revisit in-woods stands (August, Sept)
Cut odors like hunting
Don’t be extra quiet
Check shooting lanes
Add tree strap
Add lifeline
“Planting” scrape trees (March, April, May, June, July, August, Sept, Oct, Nov)
Appropriate tree
Soda-coffee can diameter
Potential licking branches
15-30 yards in front of stand, dig 2.5-3` hole
Place tree in hole, point licking branch towards stand and pack solidly
Using scouting cameras effectively (June, July, August, Sept, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb)
Testing
Sound
Range
Detection
Categorize
Undetectable
Detectable
Do no harm
Deodorize
Low impact
Timing
Trips
Between trips
Locations
Routes
Placement of detectable
Minerals, bait piles and ponds
Everywhere else, elevate
7-10’off the ground
Single shot mode
September
Broadcasting brassicas with beans (August, Sept)
Won’t produce to the extent of plantings, but nice supplement
Works best 1 state south of Canadian boarder
Plots must offer bare dirt
Time before leaf drop
Broadcast at recommended rate
Deer census (August, Sept, Oct)
Place cameras on one corn pile per 40 acres on small properties, 100 acers on large
If baiting illegal, place cameras on every food plot pond
Leave for 14 days
Run the numbers
Divide individual bucks (A) by total buck occurrences (B) A/B=C
Multiply total number of does (D) by C to determine number of does (E) D*C=E
Multiply total number of Fawns (F) by C to determine number of fawns (G) F*C=G
Multiply C, E & G by 1.11 for best estimate of buck, doe and fawn populations
Divide corrected number of does/corrected number of bucks for number of does per buck
Divide corrected number of fawns/corrected number of does for number of does per buck
Add corrected number of bucks, does & fawns for total number of deer
Setting harvest goals (August, Sept, Oct)
ID individual bucks
Estimate age
ID potential of 3.5 yr old and older bucks
Number of tines
Length of tines
Length of main beams
Junk
Formulate hit list
Inferior bucks
Superior bucks
Determine number of does
30% removal to maintain population
Minimum of 2 does for every buck to tighten ratio
Formulating a hunting strategy ((August, Sept)
IDing stands for phase of season
Early
Scrape
Rut
Post rut
Late season
IDing stands for wind directions
Hanging edge stands (July, August, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan)
Cut odors
Limit shooting lanes during season
Logging hunts (Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan)
Stand hunted
Clean entrance?
If yes, explain
Wind direction and speed
Temp
Condition
Clear/partly cloudy/overcast
Precipitation
Humidity
Barometric pressure
Snow cover
Deer sightings
Bucks
Name
Unknowns
Estimated age
Points and score
Activities (feeding, patrolling, seeking, chasing, fighting, breeding, traveling)
Does
Activities
Were fawns present
How many
Any nursing witnessed
Fawns
Doe or buck
Activities
Busted on stand?
If yes, explain
Busted on exit?
If yes, explain
October
Data collecting on kills (All season long)
Date
Sex
Does
Is she actively lactating
If no, do her teats show signs of lactation
Bucks
Is the rack busted
Gross score
Show how to score
Weight
General appearance
Estimate age on jaw
Fat accumulation
Excessive
Average
Limited
Absent
Scrape Hunting (late Oct, early Nov)
Wait for peak scraping (last week of Oct in Upper Midwest)
Focus on heavily used scrapes where bucks feel safe
Hunt downwind side
Stop focusing on scrapes once serious chasing begins (Nov 5thish in Upper Midwest)
Hunting Doe Bedding areas (late Oct, Nov, early Dec)
Wait for peak scraping
Hunt downwind side of defined bedding areas
Good through all of Nov
November
Fall tillage (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb)
When fall tillage is the right choice
Over grown areas
Food plot failure
Food source depletion
Great for breaking down debris and lime
Disadvantage when any food is present
Disc
Lime
Light Disc
Frost Seeding
Best in previously planted, low weed areas
Cultipack
Frost seed
Applying fert on top
Traditional planting
Best in thick grass/heavy weed areas
Fert
Light disc
Cultipack
Spray
Seed
Cultipack
Hunting funnels (Late Oct, Nov, early Dec)
What are funnels
Necks
Pinches
Ridges
Erosion cuts
Saddles
Benches
Rises in swamps
Best
Separate bedding areas
Bedding and food or water
Food or water and food or water
Setting multiple stands for wind
Hunting ponds (All season)
Northern ponds vrs Midwest
Best locations
Paired with food
In-woods
Blocking ponds for shot angle
Downwind side
Hunting food sources (All season)
Wind factor
Know your deer
Blow into areas they aren’t coming from
Safe vrs best
Getting out
Backdoor option
Waiting them out
Drive off
Spooking with snort, bark or howl
Hunting sanctuaries (Nov)
Limit to once or twice all season
Wait for conditions to be perfect
Get in extra early and try to stay all day
December
Hunting travel corridors (All season)
Locate buck
Locate trail
Use track catcher or cameras to determine bedding area
Set stand and hunt
Morning hunting buck bedding areas (Mid Oct, Dec and Jan)
Works when buck is bedded distance from food source
Get in extra early
Wind must be right
Don’t get frustrated
Removing does (Early season and late season)
Low impact stands round edge of property
Minimize does leading bucks to neighbors
Reduce freeloaders
Minimize impact on buck hunting
Target does with nubbin bucks
Reevaluate plan (Dec, Jan, Feb, March)
What worked
What didn’t
What is property’s strengths
What are the weaknesses
What level of food was available each month
What condition is the herd in and what needs to be addressed
General
Setting Goals
Lime a-z
What to plant
Creating holding plots
Food plot shapes and sizes
Screening an approach
How many deer do you want
Formulating a plan
Laying out a property/dictating movement
Sanctuaries
Removing does without harming buck hunting
Stand hunting formula
Browse guide
Map reading
Equipment buyers guide
Budgeting your goals
Analyzing adjoining properties
Not over pressuring your deer
Aging deer and evaluating the deer you harvest
Importance of a deer journal and habitat improvement journal
Soil types and how to use each
Determining how much food you need
The different tiers of browse quality and what it tells you about your deer herd
When to harvest doe
Ground blinds and shooting houses
and habitat improvement journal
Soil types and how to use each
Determining how much food you need
The different tiers of browse quality and what it tells you about your deer herd
When to harvest doe
Ground blinds and shooting houses