Summer Time Land Management

Land Management Tactics for a Successful Hunting Season Come Fall

With Turkey season ending, summer time heat and humidity just around the corner in much of the Midwest. Many of us are already looking forward to those cool crisp mornings of early fall, watching the sun appear over the horizon while our breath is visible as we exhale, and waiting on a whitetail deer to appear from behind the thicket.

With our thoughts of those priceless fall mornings on our mind, often times is easy to get busy with summer time activities and put off improving our land for hunting until the last minute. When in all reality, now is some of the best times to put a bit of sweat equity into our properties to greatly improve our experiences this fall. It’s the perfect time to put in some work on our food plots. Whether we are turning over the soil, expanding an already existing one, or clearing off and area for that hidey-hole food plot that you know will produce.

Timing is Everything for Proper Land Management

Summer is the perfect time to complete these projects. The days are longer, and it becomes easier to spend a few hours on an evening working in the field. Those wise ‘ol bucks are far less spooky when they have so much vegetation to hide behind and help cover up the noise from any equipment.

The farther removed from hunting season, the longer the animals have to find, and get use to the new improvements. It is also a great time to think about stand locations. When it comes to hanging a new set, there is no better time, you are far enough removed from hunting season that any noise and scent left behind will not affect the way deer behave come fall.

Routine Hygiene for Hunting Blinds & Stands

It also makes sense to check those existing stands for safety and stability. You can replace ratchet straps from the previous year, make adjustments if the stand needs to be tweaked and trim shooting lanes, especially if it’s a place you know you will hunt early season with leaves and vegetation still on the trees.

So, before those summer no hunting season blues set in, use these days to promote success, habitat management and comfort for long days in the field when the sun starts sitting earlier and the buck of your dreams could step out any minute.