How to Prepare for Deer Hunting Season
7/18/2024
If you’re a huntsman in Louisiana, you know that it’s almost time for deer hunting season to start! This year the first day of hunting season starts on September 15th, if your method of choice is archery, but if you prefer to hunt with a firearm, like the ever-popular bolt action rifle, your hunting season begins October 9th. While waiting for the best time to deer hunt to arrive, every hunter out there has most likely been surveying the land, planning their trip, and gathering ammunition for a couple of months now, but only the savvy and seasoned deer hunter has also been prepping his hunting site. Having deer blind plans in place is super important, especially when it comes to ensuring the land surrounding your deer stand is optimal for hunting and keeping quiet while you do it. While the quality and magnitude of your weapons is a very important factor during the hunt, the condition of your deer hunting camp is just as, if not more, important. Properly crafted and kept deer food plots are vital as well. Lucky for you, we've put together the top three ways you can prepare your hunting land that will make 2021 the best hunting season ever!
When it comes to hunting deer and other game, location is crucial to your mission. Many avid hunters think that having the perfect tree is the most important part, but having a mediocre tree with a great location is much better than having an amazing tree in a mediocre location. The land surrounding your deer blinds must be able to allow you to move about silently. In the woods, there is a continuous buzz, whether it be birds, bugs, other animals, or even just the wind. If you make any loud or sudden movements, they will know, and the momentary dead silence will tip off the deer, and you will lose your prize. You need to have multiple options for entry routes and exit routes. After you've chosen the best location on your hunting land, the next job you need to tackle is to ensure that your shooting lanes for deer hunting are perfect! The condition of your shooting lanes in your hunting camp are extremely important for those who prefer ground hunting deer, and this is especially true for those who use ground blinds for bow hunting.
First things first, before the first leaf of fall has hit the ground, you need to properly cut your shooting lanes. Many choose to do this manually with chainsaw tree trimmers or pole tree trimmers, but the more efficient way to do this would be to use tree branch cutter attachment like the Lane Shark brush cutter, which will allow you to remove any branches or other bramble that is in the way. If you're a fast, efficient, and reliable branch cutter, the Lane Shark cutter will be perfect for you! When it comes to shooting lanes for deer hunting, ensuring that you have a smooth, wide lane for optimal visibility is the best thing you can do. Most outdoorsmen choose to position their shooting lanes and hunting stands just off the crest of a ridge line, but deer will typically shy away from these places, as they don’t want to skyline or expose themselves. They typically stay parallel to the crest on the downwind side, so that will be your sweet spot! Next, you need to create clear and quiet routes using a grass cutter or brush cutter. Pro tip: use a brush cutter attachment on your tractor or ATV to get this done quickly!
Moving on to your entry and exit routes for your deer blinds, you must remember that having a silent approach is crucial! Even if you pre-cut paths using a Kubota tractor or a Kubota ATV paired with a brush hog or a rotary cutter, specifically the Land Pride RCR1242, there will be fallen foliage on the ground when the season transitions to autumn, so getting to your blind early is your best bet. If you get to your site early, you’ll be able to pre-rake all of the paths you made with your bush hog to avoid stepping on loud, crunchy leaves every time you enter or exit. Another pro hunting tip is to step in your own footprints if you’ve already made a trail!
Once you’ve cut your shooting lanes and smoothed out the soil with a Tufline box blade or a Land Pride box scraper, it’s time to prep your food plots with for the deer, which is key in attracting the deer and other game. In the South, September and October are prime months for planting fall food plots. After testing the soil to determine the fertilizer levels needed and to ensure optimal growth, you just need to decide what type of seeds you want to plant! There’s a wide variety of seeds that are suitable for this time of the year including wheat, turnips, radishes, alfalfa, and many different types of clover. To make the planting process easy, we recommend utilizing ATV or tractor attachments such as food plot seeders, specifically the Land Pride OS1572, or disc harrows. You’ll definitely be thanking yourself and your disc blade when deer season begins and you have all the crops you need to bring in a plentiful bounty! If you’re not sure what kind of food plot equipment to use, farmers and sportsmen alike agree that Land Pride attachments are the best of the best both in quality and durability.
Here at Evergreen Tractor, we pride ourselves on delivering durable and quality equipment to all of our clients, whether they are farmers, hunters, or anything in between. Our experienced team of sportsman experts are here to ensure you get what you need to have the most bountiful deer season possible! We have everything you need to prep your shooting lanes, food plots, and entry paths! Give us a call, contact us online, or stop by our Covington location, near Hammond, if you have any questions about your deer season needs. Also, be sure to check out our Kubota tractor package for deer hunters! If you’re looking to find the true meaning of Sportsman’s Paradise this hunting season, look no further than Evergreen Tractor!