The 2012 deer season is over. What a freaking roller coaster! Some nice deer were shot, and some dandies were missed. But now the work starts! Before my father purchased land over a decade ago – I thought that deer and deer hunting were put on the back burner immediately after deer season. Shortly after Dad purchased the land, and I became essentially engulfed with the Quality Deer Management Association (www.qdma.com), I found out I was completely wrong. Now that deer season is over – I have tons of work to do! Below I’ve listed 5 activities and projects that I’d recommend doing with your deer hunting property this in the next 2-3 months. This time of year is what I love about quality deer management!

1) Thicken it up. Much like my hair (or lack thereof), your deer and turkey woods would probably benefit from some kind of hinge cutting or TSI implementation. Hinge cutting is the act of cutting non beneficial trees (nature wise) about 7/8 through the truck, and bending them over. The benefits of this are a) immediate ground cover for bedding b) allows more sunlight to hit the forest floor, encouraging fresh new growth that the deer will either browse on, or bed in. Because you did not cut directly through the tree, it should live, producing more browse and bedding cover for the deer and wildlife. TSI or timber stand improvement, is cutting your timber is a strategic way to improve the overall quality of timber and trees on your land. Deciding which trees to cut is directly connected to your objectives as a land manager. I suggest walking through your hunting property with a district forester. They likely will be able to explain the options available to you, as well as any state or federal programs your land may be qualified for.

2) Shed Hunting. Need I say more? Get out there and find some antler! Late season food sources, known bedding areas, as well as creek and ditch crossings are hot spots.

3) Frost Seeding. There is no better time of the year to plant clover than right now. The freezing and thawing conditions that take place this time of year help the clover seed get incorporated into the ground and likely will give your clover a jump start during those first warm days of Spring. Below is a picture of a food plot. It doesn’t look like a food plot now – but I will be taking you Freaks step by step through the food plot making process. Stay tuned to see this ugly, lifeless patch of land into a thriving food plot that wildlife will benefit from on a daily basis.

4) Education. I cannot think of a better time of year to join the Quality Deer Management Association, and order a couple of books they put out. They will instantly make you a better deer hunter. In the coming days, I’ll also be releasing a blog that talks about the QDMA’s new Deer Steward Online class. Now is the best time of the year to do that, too! Aside from joining QDMA, I recommend you constantly check aerial and topo maps of your hunting properties. Last week I found a saddle I looked over for 3 years. Brilliant, I know.

5) Stand sites. I use to believe and think January – March was the best time to actually hang your stands. Now I think you can still get away with that during the early Summer. But right now is a great time to trim shooting lanes, and pick the exact trees you’ll be hunting come Fall. Remember – the less intrusive you are in the Summer and Fall months – the better! Get all of the dirty work done this time of year.

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