Why Start A New Blog Now??

Around The Campfire

Spring seems like a strange time of year to launch a new blog about whitetail deer hunting for women. Shouldn't I have launched it in the fall? Maybe in late August or early September?

Fact is, I think about whitetail deer hunting all year round, not just in the fall. Spring is the time of year that I really think about what I need to do at Camp Chicken to make it a better place for the deer that live on the property.

In the early spring, I like to put out mineral blocks at various spots for the deer. Deer crave salt and other minerals in the spring and the blocks I buy at our local feed store are specifically made for deer and contain key minerals that aid in milk production for nursing does and for antler growth in bucks.

It is also a good time of year to look at creating some small food plots for the deer to supplement their natural diet. I don't have a tractor or other equipment other than my 4-wheeler so anything I would plant would have to be "no-till".

Spring is also when we go to camp and check for winter damage to our hunting shacks. We check all of our roads and ATV trails and see if they need maintenance. This spring we found that a huge tree had fallen across one of our trails that we had worked so hard to clear only last September. Luckily, my friend Arlene's brother, Don, came out and cut it up for us.

This is the time of year that I can see where my Mom and Dad's old roads used to be when they would come up and cut firewood on the property. Without all of the summer foliage, it is easy to see where the road used to be. In most cases, we can reclaim the road simply by removing a few bushes and small trees. This gives us access to new sections of the property on our 4-wheelers.

I like to get out and explore the property and look for any new deer runways that have appeared on the property and to think about adding a new hunting location or two.

Early spring is just a great time to be outdoors in the U.P. The dreaded blackflies and mosquitos haven't hatched yet and it is possible to tramp around the woods without getting eaten alive.

So what spring projects are you working on to make your property a better place to hunt the elusive whitetail deer? Drop by and let us know.

See you next week Around The Campfire when we talk about the re-introduction of the gray wolf to the outdoors.