LAST UPDATED: May 8th, 2015
Springtime is upon us, fellow bowhunters! With the snow and cold days behind us (I hope) here in Northern Illinois, it is time to really focus on preparing for the 2011 deer season, which will be here before you know it! April was an especially very busy month for me (then again, what month isn’t) between trade shows, habitat management projects on my properties and a little turkey hunting adventure with my little man, Craig.
As many of your probably know, Bowhunting.com was well represented at the Illinois and Wisconsin Deer Classics over the past month. I always enjoy those shows and it is a real blast to get out there and meet the genuine, down to earth bowhunters who love and enjoy the sport just as much as I do! We had a great showing at both of these expos and I met a lot of great new people and saw some magnificent deer as well.
By far my favorite mount at the Illinois Deer and Turkey Expo was this 197″ monster harvested by Mason Paul. I love how the mount sits on top of the collection of antlers!
I also enjoyed meeting some of our loyal Facebook friends at the show as well. If you haven’t done so, check out Bowhunting.com on Facebook here!
I was excited to get my 2010 buck from officially being scored by the Pope and Young Club. This monster Illinois whitetail buck officially netted 140 3/8”! This was my third straight season of harvest a buck over 140 inches with my bow. I understand that hunting mature, trophy bucks isn’t for everyone, but man, I can’t get enough of it!
From the field…
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… to the record book!
Despite the dreary weather we have been experiencing in the Upper Midwest, I have been able to get out on my hunting property and begin work on some of my offseason habitat improvement projects. Don’t let the cold and wet conditions keep you from bettering your hunting property, now is the perfect time! I was fortunate enough to get a lot of work done recently. On one of my 60 acre farms I just finished a TSI (Timber Stand Improvement) project on 10 acres that will increase the health and longevity of the forested area on this farm. I know a lot of talk these days are about food plots being the secret to killing big deer, and they certainly help, TSI is also a great way to improve the overall habitat on your property as well. I also mowed down the standing corn stalks from last year, fertilized several food plots and performed some controlled burns to get the soil ready for food plot and native grass plantings.
Conrolled burns will greatly improve the soil for my summer food plot and native grass plantings.
Finding sheds is always exciting! This one looks like it may be a couple years old.
I was also able to plant some hardwood and softwood trees, as well as some soft mast bearing trees as well to create added diversity for the deer that visit my farm, All in all, I planted and caged (have to keep the deer away from them for now!) 50 oaks, 6 pears, 30 pines and 30 more apple trees. The oaks and apple trees won’t bear fruit for several years down the road, but it will be an enjoyable experience watching them grow and mature through the years. However, what I take pride in is the thought that my little man Craig will have the opportunity to hunt from those same trees in the future! A big part of Quality Deer Management is protecting this sport we enjoy so much, and ensuring that younger generations can enjoy it just the same as we did!
These trees may be small now, but one day my son, Craig, will hopefully be hanging a tree stand from them!
Speaking of Craig, he and I were able to get out together to do a little turkey hunting a couple weeks ago. We didn’t see any, but their thunderous gobbles rang throughout the woods and got Craig and I both pretty excited!
Our turkey hunting set-up; Craig and didn’t see any but we sure heard them gobbling!
Unfortunately, the onset of Spring also means it is tick season, and man, do I hate these things! These pesky pests used to find their way on me every time I went outside this time of year. However, this year I have been wearing Elimitck Clothing from Gamehide Gear and haven’t found a single tick on me. Elimitick Clothing is my clothing of choice this time of year that is for sure!
ElimiTick Clothing from Gamehide Gear is my clothing of choice this time of year.
I’d like to close out this blog by show an example of just how random my life can be. My wife talked me into buying a goat! My wife loves all animals and, even though I enjoy nothing more than harvesting mature animals during the fall, I have a soft spot in my heart for all animals as well. Maybe, buying this goat will earn me some brownie points this fall and a little extra time in the treestand? We’ll see!
Yes, somehow I got talked into buying a goat!
