Managing Land for Squirrels

Many people manage land for deer, but they don't manage it for what I have heard to be the "big game of the small game," the thing you most likely wouldn't manage land for, the squirrel.

Now you may have some nice squirrel habitat already, but here are some points that you need to make a prime squirrel hunting area.  Squirrels need three basic things, food, nesting, and water.

• Forest managing (food)- A variety of oaks, hickories, elm, walnut, beech and other fruit and nut bearing trees.  You can also grow the nut and fruit bearing trees you need if needed.  Growing corn at the woodland edges will help with the food supply especially if the nut or fruit trees have decreased in their production.    Providing oaks and corn for squirrels can also provide food for White-tails, and other animals, so, your not just helping squirrels, your helping deer and other animals too!  Planting natural shrubs and saplings for ground cover will also be great.  
• Nesting sites-Provide three to five den trees per acre.  A squirrel den is a hole in the tree that they use as their home.  They also build nests up in trees.  But they prefer tree dens.  If you don't have very many den trees you can make den boxes and put them up in trees about ten to thirty feet up in the tree.
• Water-A creek or river or other body of water is a good place for squirrels to come and drink. If you have no water readily available you can dig a small pond or make a couple watering sites.            

These small steps can lead to many more squirrels on your property and can lead to memory making hunts. 

Acorns, the Big Buck Attractor

I have talked about the importance of acorns in hunting before, and now I'll do it again.

In the rut bucks are more interested in does than they are in food.  So if bucks are more interested in does, why would they want to go to oak trees?  You can pretty much answer the question with common sense.  The does need the nutrition that the acorns have in them so they can breed.  So if you have a concentration of white oaks which have their acorns are falling, you will probably find does there.  Where you find a bunch of does, you will find bucks coming in after them.

When the acorn crop drops to very low amounts of acorns falling, here's what to do.  Look for an area that has a bunch of oaks beside each other that are producing more acorns than the rest of the oaks around.  Deer should flock to that area because of the higher acorn crop.

Hunt over acorns.  A bunch of white oaks next to each other to hunt over is a good way to get a deer this season.

Dove Hunting Safety

Safety always matters when your hunting.  Especially when your shooting all over the place when your dove hunting.

• Don't shoot at low flying birds, a hunter could get hit if you do so.
• If your in a group, know where everyone is and communicate with each other.
• Wear ear protection.  Eye protection would also be good to wear.
• Handle guns safely at all times.

There's not too many safety guidelines, but you can also add "use common sense" as a fifth one.  But just a couple guidelines will lead to a much safer hunt.  So follow them.

Tree Stand Saftey

I know that I have written a little about tree stand safety before, but it doesn't hurt to go over being safe in a tree stand again.

• Always wear a full body safety harness.  Also known as a fall arrest system, these harnesses have saved hundreds of lives.  A safety strap should be attached to you and to the tree.  This should keep you from falling more than 12 inches (if you fall)
• There is a rule that is called the 3 point rule.  The rule is to always keep three points of contact (2 arms, one leg or one arm two legs) on the ladder.  But at least keep 2 points of contact, although the 3 point rule is safer.
• Carry emergency contact devices with you.  Cellphones are one type of these.
• Use a haul line to get your gear into the stand.
• Use a climbing belt when you are climbing up to and down from the tree stand.
• Wear boots with non-skid soles.  This will prevent you slipping on slippery wet rungs.

Have a safe hunting season!

Hunting for Doves

Mourning Doves are one of the most popular game birds in the US.  Here are some tips on hunting them.  Whether you are hunting them over a plot or in the field, or selecting ammo, here are some tips.

• If you have a cleared area (like an area that is clear cut) or any other field with brush, doves love those places.  You can usually find a lot of them in those places.
• A sunflower or wheat plot is a great place to hunt for doves.  They like to peck at the ground where seeds are just lying on the ground plainly visible.
• Hunting for doves requires only five things: a shotgun, brown or camo clothes (nothing fancy, unless you want to), some shotgun shells, a field, and some friends.
• Look in areas that have just been cut for grain or hay.  All the loose seed that fell out of the harvester during the harvesting attracts a lot of doves
• When you shoot, swing through the dove, shoot, then follow through by continuing to swing.
• You can also set up decoys to aid you in your hunt.  This makes the doves above think that that area is safe because there is already a bunch of doves left (though check with your wildlife organization to see if this is legal).
• Stick to 7 1/2 to 9 size shot.  This gives you a lot more chance of hitting a dove.  Remember, it doesn't take much to bring down a dove.

That's it for now!