SCI Badgerland

Crossposted from Preparing Your Kill Zone at Grow the Hunt

- By Brandon Wikman

Many archery enthusiasts are gearing up for the cherished opening whitetail weekend, which is mere weeks away. I am as well! Last weekend I made it a clear objective to wrap up my hunting checklist. I’ve been finishing last-minute touch-ups near my hunting site; I’ve been on the mower clearing trails, sawing shot-blocking limbs and hanging sets of stands like mad!
Mowing:
I consider mowing a timeless way to ease the mind and get some serious cutting done. Considering that I’ve put off mowing for several weeks, the grassy weeds are as tall as I am. Yesterday I started my tractor, popped in my iPod ear buds and ventured to the woods.

My family farm has several ATV trails that meander across the agriculture fields and through the forestland into the swamps. It takes a solid day to cut down the weeds that choke the small alleyways of woodland intersections.

I like to mow because it makes getting into my stands and trails much easier, quieter and stealthier. Instead of swimming my way to stands, now I can simply jump out of my truck and ease my way carelessly to my stand without worrying about blowing any game out from senseless noise.

Stands:
I’ve always been a concrete believer that you should have your stands in the woods and attached to a tree a solid month before hunting season arrives. After I finished mowing, I threw a pile of stands onto my ATV and got to work hanging my perches. Hanging stands in the summer is obviously no walk in the park. The combination of sauna-style humidity, scorching heat and a bombardment of mosquitoes make it a miserable time in the forest.

I’ll typically try to hang stands on a weekend when rain is in the forecast. I do this for a number of reasons including lower temperatures and a quicker scent wash as the rain will help eliminate your foul human odors.

Limbs:
I’ve had several friends miss incredible opportunities at giant deer due to their forgetfulness to clear shooting lanes. I’ve been super fortunate to never have that problem because I’ve witnessed too many others in that predicament. All it takes is a simple pole saw and elbow grease to clear a few shooting lanes from your stand. This can be done in a matter of minutes.

Clearing underbrush and limbs away from your stand will not only enhance your shot opportunity, but also provide you a silent entry and exit route. There’s no need to worry about getting an eye poked when walking to your stand in the dark. You will be glad you took a few minutes of your afternoon to do so come deer season.

As season approaches, we must be ready for shooting X-rings, but not forget the little things like a weekend’s work finishing last-minute touch-ups at our hunting sites.

Crossposted from The Art of Stealthy at Grow the Hunt

- By Brandon Wikman

The simple shutter of a trail camera documenting the perplexing life of a deer is truly extraordinary. Gaining any edge of insight against the opposition may amplify your success.

Deciphering the hidden code for whitetails can be as unpractical and mysterious as roaming the lost pyramids of Egypt. A mature deer has an infinite amount of senses that he’ll use to shake off any threat in sight. It truly is a mystical nightmare that most hunters are utterly oblivious to. When you can trigger an image of a mature buck on camera, you have something incredibly special!

I’ve learned a few basic tricks to surprise-attack deer in their home terrain via trail camera. The most important and critical element of being covert is your scent.

SCENT:
As we all know, deer have an unforgiving nose. They are able to sniff a trickled bead of sweat in grass for a long period of time. Many hunters fail to realize putting out trail cameras is just as critical as actually hunting. You don’t need to smell like a McDonald’s Big Mac or be doused in diesel fuel from working on the tractor; you need to smell clean!

Be sure to take the extra time to shower and eliminate any foreign odors you may be carrying. Your hands carry a whole entire heap of human bearing stenches. When handling your trail camera in the woods be certain to wear gloves. This will block any odors that you may transmit to the camera monitor.

Lastly, clean your camera like you clean your camo clothes. Don’t be afraid to scrub the outside with scent eliminator or wash. This will break up the bacteria molecules that the camera models has taken on throughout the time on the store shelf, in your truck and lying in your house.

Scent is the highlight for this week. I know there are a vast number of hunters that don’t take the necessary time to enter the home of a whitetail smelling like fresh air. Many times people will run play the game last-minute-style and run into the woods after work smelling like a skunk!

You know you are doing something right when you can capture an image of a mature deer (multiple) times on your camera. This assures that you never spooked him. Be sure to take the extra time to increase your odds in the field and woods this year! You only have a strict number of days to hunt in a season; be certain to do it right!

SCI BADGERLAND CHAPTER PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

From the President’s Cluttered Desk:

- By David J. Ekkebus, SCI Badgerland President

Well. I’m on time, tardy as always with my SEZ message. I could pretend that I wanted to wait until Dining Around the World IX was over to get this out but the fact is I was busy…. hunting. That’s my excuse and I am sticking to it.

If you supported your SCI Chapter and attended the event on Saturday August 7 you are probably on a diet for at least the rest of the month like myself. Boy, that was “good grub”! Italian, German, American entrees all set out in themed buffet stations made it a grand time. Great guns and other goodies on the raffles, super live and silent auction items made it a good night for all.  I know there are many things to do on a summer night but you should never miss an SCI event. There are two trips still available until August 31st. Check them out!

Badgerland Chapter has over 70 new members this year and growing so don’t miss your chance to join SCI. Members sign up a friend, relative or hunting friends to help provide for conservation in Wisconsin and anywhere you hunt or dream of hunting. It’s all about YOU and your freedom to enjoy your passion for our American hunting heritage.

My recent hunting adventure was to get some experience with a new bow. I have not been serious about the “stick and sting” method for about 40 years and I just wanted to get back into the thrill of seeing deer and maybe shooting something while at the same time being able to feel my fingers and toes. Rifle and muzzle-loader hunting is great. But there are days when it’s more brutal frustration than pleasant and successful.

I did learn that the newest toys from Bow Tech are devastatingly deadly compared to my first generation compound of bygone years. I bet the other brands are as good or better too. I also learned that when it’s 90+ degrees on a sunny day in Texas it is possible to drink 27 gallons of water, one bottle at a time, and wring out your shirt. I discovered that Oklahoma has replaced Wisconsin for the most miles of one lane Interstate I have ever encountered in one day. My son-in-law enlightened me to the fact that the company that makes those orange barrels and cones has no real location and thus simply stores the things on roads all about the country regardless if there is actually any work being done or not. Warehouse space is provided out in the open by each state and usually on the side of the road I  am using. I suspect Mr. Murphy is using the other side where there are no barrels being warehoused.

I like hunting Texas (but then I like hunting anywhere). Mainly I like Texas because there is always some big game to hunt and I can always fit in a little jaunt to fit my schedule. I strongly suggest you try it sometime between January and September and fill that void if you can’t get to Africa, Argentina or “down under” when the home seasons are closed.  If you believe ranch hunting is too easy I suggest you try to kill one specific animal with a bow and arrow on 2000 acres of brush, trees, wide prairies, rocky ridges, cornflake old leaves and steep rock basins. Oh, and watch were you step, Texas has cactus, rattlesnakes and water moccasins just to make things a tad more interesting. I think you would probably like “interesting”. So get off that couch and get out hunting!

Your Badgerland Directors are now taking aim on the grand February Convention, Trophy Competition and Fundraising Auction. February 11 & 12, 2011. Mark that calendar! Decide what trophies you will enter!  Watch this website for all the auction hunts and other items!