What are you doing this time of year?

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BackWoodsHunter
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What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby BackWoodsHunter » Sun Jan 23, 2011 4:38 pm

I posted this here as this section seems to get the most traffic on this site and this topic should cover everything.

So what are you guys doing with your outdoor habits and hobbies this time of year?

Its been too cold here as of late to do any fishing, the snow is so deep scouting isn't worth while plus the deer are not in their normal patterns, and most hunting seasons are closed in WI and across the US so I can't be out hunting.

There's still plenty to do archery league, fixing/replacing equipment, studying maps, planning for spring plots and land management practices.

I have decided my next new hobby will be trapping. I have input from a friend and his brother they do pretty good at trapping and I have a connection for traps at store cost so the start up shouldn't be too expensive. I've been reading like crazy to pass the idle time I'd like to be spending outside. I also decided waterfowl hunting isn't for me, sold off all my goose hunting equipment and am working on getting rid of my duck decoys minus a dozen or so incase I ever get that urge to hunt quackers. Hoping the money from decoys will help put a new carp reel on my old bow or add some trapping supplies to my new project. I also have been working on land management plans as far as food plots. What to plant, when to plant, where to plant are all key. I also have 100 tree seedlings on order I'd like to plant throughout our woods to thicken things up. Our land is mainly old and dying popple trees and I recently discovered a small stand of young oaks. One of my first spring projects will be to cut any trees out of the area that are stealing sunlight from the young oaks-one of the best ways to get those established oaks to grow faster is providing more sunlight. My final project on the list is to clear lanes and paths for sneaky access to good stand trees on our land so I can hunt them mobile next fall.

Basically my "off season" down time has been spent planning, mapping and packing things away. My fall hunting equipment is in the back of the closet and the turkey gear has been rotated for the front. Hope I draw a permit in April.

I hate this time of year and am going a little shack happy...September is a long ways away but planning and preparing now can only make next season so much better. What are all of you doing this time of year to make next fall a success your most successful season yet?


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U.P. MAN
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby U.P. MAN » Sun Jan 23, 2011 5:46 pm

This time of year is definetly the worst! I try and get some coyote hunting done.this year i really want to try some bobcat boxes. Would love to trap one.Its a good time of year to get to know your wife and kids again :lol: Last year i had iowa to look forward to. spent alot of time cyber scouting. My wife always says i go into a state of depression when january comes around she is kind of right :) I think once turkey season hits its alot easier to handle waiting for september. Every year at this time i wish i had planned a hunt to a southern state,alabama,mississippi or somewhere like that. Some of those states the rut is just starting. I never looked into any public land down there. I know they are killing some nice bucks in the south. The family would very possibly diss-own me though! Thank god i have them,this time of year would kill me otherwise :D
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby wappkid » Sun Jan 23, 2011 5:46 pm

I am constantly tinkering with bows after season. I have pretty much gave up every other type of hunting or fishing besides bowhunting deer.I still do some turkey hunting. Plan on hunting some Yotes and scouting this week.2 years ago I sold all of my duck hunting gear except my waders. I kept the waders just in case I needed them for bowhunting.I gave up the ducks because it got to messing with my bowhunting.It seems like every hobby I pick up I end up dropping because of my passion for deer hunting.
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BackWoodsHunter
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby BackWoodsHunter » Sun Jan 23, 2011 5:52 pm

I'm at the same point as you wapp. I like to say I'm going to continue duck hunting but its a reality that I won't. Coyote hunting is fun for me but I've never been successful, early mornings, cold nights, and time spent freezing your off hunting a critter you can't even eat is getting less and less desireable to me. I used to fish like crazy but that has been put on the shelf unfortunately. I'll never miss the smallmouth bass spawn and I love fishing big gills in early summer but when I go ice fishing anymore I don't like to wander too far from the heated shack...

I don't have much of a family that misses me while I'm hunting, at least not like a wife and kids or anything like that LOL however this is a good time of year for me to get my focus back on school so I can get out pretty soon!
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Dewey
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby Dewey » Sun Jan 23, 2011 6:05 pm

I usually do a lot of scouting mixed in with some ice fishing this time of the year. After putting in so many hours in the stand during the season plus hauling stands and gear every day it feels really good to just get out there and stretch the legs a bit and put on some miles walking. A lot of what I find now will probably not apply towards early season hunting but some of the bedding areas I find are used year round. Most of the good bucks I got on this year were from bedding areas I found in my post season scouting. I will be doing plenty of shed hunting while scouting as well.
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby huntinfool14 » Sun Jan 23, 2011 6:12 pm

this time of year is kinda boring..its a little bit to early to start looking for sheds even though i am already..this time of year, my family take a vacation to flordia, in march i go to MN ice fishing, and June i go to Canada fishing..so in between all those, i shed hunt, scout, plant crops for fall... trying to find the next big bucks sheds that i can hunt come this fall
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby blackwolf » Sun Jan 23, 2011 6:28 pm

Working out to get in top shape for fall elk hunt. Checking maps and mulling over next years whitetail strategies. Organizing all my hunting stuff better. Hate the cold, waiting for winter to end.
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby hunt n nut » Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:40 am

We are in an archery, 3D league now, my son is in wrestling, so that takes a lot of time. Just chompin' at the bit to get out shed hunting :D
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby Bucky » Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:13 am

Checking cameras and waiting for antlers to fall... spending time with family aftering being gone many weekends in the fall
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby virginiashadow » Mon Jan 24, 2011 3:29 am

I have already begun scouting for next season. I am going to start building new arrows for my recurve soon. I cannot wait to bass fish this spring with my kids. This will be the first season that I trust them to take them out on the canoe with me. I haven't shot my recurve much over the past month, but I will get back at it starting in February and my aim is to be a much more lethal shot this year. BRING ON DEER SEASON 2011!
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby Buckfever » Mon Jan 24, 2011 6:02 am

Right now what I'm trying to do is finish up my sets for next year. I have one more to finish timming lanes and then I'll inspect all my gear and put everything away. I've already made up the hunting and practice arrows. I want to get everything square because I actually like to get away from it mentally for a few months. And really there isn't that much time. I've already started working out and getting myself strong and fit and I have a new bow coming so that's going pull me back in it real quick. Down here some of the parks require qualifications and those start in June, so there isn't that much down time.
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby dreaming bucks » Mon Jan 24, 2011 6:07 am

I'm a huge wrestling fan, high school and college. It's just right, because wrestling season gets over about early march, and then it's perfect for scouting season. :D
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Stuart
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby Stuart » Mon Jan 24, 2011 6:55 am

I am lining up as many properties as possible and getting ariel views with land boarders. Lastly walking each one.
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby huntinnurse » Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:04 am

Always something to hunt and fish here. Bowhunting year round for me!!!!!! Food sources are dying off so the hogs are more predictable if that can be said about a hog. Stripers are spawning.
Another nice thing about here, you buy a hunting and fishing license and it's good for a year. No need to worry about each individual season. Aug. 31, is the day. Also, the "regions" are by each county. Much, much easier as people can follow county lines without much problem. Texas truly is a sportsmans paradise.
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Re: What are you doing this time of year?

Unread postby cornfedkiller » Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:20 am

Looking into new properties for next year, printing off maps and aerials, tinkering with equipment, getting ready for turkey season, doing a little indoor shooting just to stay sharp, and really starting to get the itch to get out and do some scouting.

Also, school and spending time with my girlfriend and friends on the weekends..


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