From The News Journal.
The late winter woods, fields, and marshes typically present dreary, lifeless pictures that drive us to ignore them until a new hunting season opens in the late summer and early fall. Even after witnessing nature’s colorful evolution from bright greens, to vibrant reds and yellows, and finally to drab tans and grays, we still can’t help but feel a bit depressed when ambling through our hunting spots after the hunting seasons end.
Although we want to abandon our stand and blind sites at least until July, we would be best served by taking advantage of winter’s final breath and performing annual site maintenance before spring’s new growth begins.
Clearing shooting lanes through wooded areas is much easier when tree limbs are bare and before forest undergrowth bursts to life, so cutting away offending vegetation is a great task for early March. Start by looking outward or downward from stands and blinds and recall where game animals have traveled or where you have previously shot (or wished you could have shot).
For deer stands, use a pole saw or pruners to clear any branches within reach of the stand’s elevated platform. While in the stand, make note (working with a partner helps) of any other branches, saplings, or bushes that need to be trimmed or removed. From the ground, trim or remove any of the identified vegetation or other obstacles and then stand in the newly cleared lanes and look back at the stand platform to confirm the shooting lanes are clear. If the lanes are not clear, repeat the previous process. (It’s amazing how different shooting lanes look from elevated positions versus from the ground.)
For ground blinds (including waterfowl blinds), look through each opening to identify shooting lanes and obstructions, and then remove or reduce the obstructions. Since forest undergrowth, marsh grasses, and other vegetation help conceal blinds, take care to strategically leave beneficial natural elements for camouflage and concealment.
In addition to clearing shooting lanes, use the last weeks of winter’s dormant growth period to make hunting spots more accessible. Consider cutting back thorns and vines (or spraying weed killer, if appropriate), removing fallen trees from paths, filling in holes and tire ruts, and clearing parking areas. These small maintenance tasks will prevent scratches to vehicles, reduce trips and falls, and decrease the chances of coming in contact with poison ivy, ticks, chiggers, and other unwelcome maladies. Be sure to wear gloves, tall boots, and long sleeves when clearing such vegetation because poison ivy may be tough to identify when it has no leaves and biting bugs are still dangerous in winter.
Late winter is also a prime time to install or replace access gates and to post No Trespassing signs. Although securing hunting property is always difficult since poachers, illegal dumpers, and joyriders respect no boundaries, using properly installed access gates or cables can deter vehicles from entering. Vegetation-free driveways and entryways make digging post holes and pouring concrete easier, so invest the time in installing gates now before stands and cameras are stolen and before your hunting spot is turned into a private dump.
Spending a few chilly hours with a chainsaw, machete, and other tools during late winter will ultimately improve your hunting spots, and the trips afield give you an excuse to hunt for shed antlers and to scout turkeys. After all turkey season is only about six weeks away.