Editorials

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=180 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="5ab2d900.jpg" border=0 width="557" height="144" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=25% BGCOLOR="#999980" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="1b1c8692eoxqcf.png"> <bR> <div> <I><B> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="121" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#000000" BORDERCOLORDARK="#000000" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="109"><div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Trophyscoring"><U><I><B>Home</B></I></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Uscorem Kits"><U><I><B>Uscorem Kits</B></I></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id88.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Moon Times"><U><I><B>Moon Times</B></I></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="109"><div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us"><U><I><B>About Us</B></I></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="109"><div> <A HREF="id89.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><I><B>Contact Us</B></I></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="109"><div> <A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dealerships"><U><I><B>Dealers</B></I></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="109"><div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Editorials"><U><I><B>Editorials</B></I></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Trophy Room"><U><I><B>Trophy Room</B></I></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="109"><div> <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Partners"><U><I><B>Partners</B></I></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Favorite Links"><U><I><B>Favorite Links</B></I></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Trophy Scoring Link Directory"><U><I><B>Link Directory</B></I></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B> <script src='http://voap.weather.com/weather/oap/76710?template=DRIVV&par=1003772450&unit=0&key=bbcffd1cf3cdd8b7bddc69fd3433c0d6'></script>  </B></I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=300 BGCOLOR="#999980" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="39500c00eoxqcf.png"> <bR> <div> <I><B> <META name="pragma" CONTENT="no-cache"> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Pragma" CONTENT="no-cache"> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Cache-Control" CONTENT="no-cache">  </B></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B><U>HUNTING CAMP</U></B></I></div> <div> <I><B>For serious deer hunters June is a great time to get out and finish your scouting and move blinds for next fall. In our scouting we always try to hunt deer sign...rubs or scrape lines and funnel trails to feeding or bedding areas. Whenever possible we hunt natural feeding areas but here in Texas we also use protein and corn feeders to supplement the deer. We select the locations that have both edges of cover and visibility in multiple directions. </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>After we locate the right deer sign we try to place our stands to hunt both the wind and stay out of the typical deer danger zone. For rifle hunting we try to stay at least 100 yards from the sign and 150 yards is better! The trick is to find such a location that puts you down wind of the prevailing winds during hunting season or to know that you only hunt a certain blind with a matching wind. In our part of the world the early season winds are from the south to southwest to west. Later in the season the winds shift to west to northwest to north. We very seldom get any weather out of the east so we place permanent blinds easterly of the sign whenever possible so we can hunt them the whole season. Our tripods and quad pods are used to hunt different winds. We also use their portability to relocate them if we observe some changes in deer movement.</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Our most popular permanent stand is the tower. Our towers sit 20' off the ground and give us great visibility for 360 degrees. Whenever possible we try to place them on a sendero or at the intersection of several senderos. We also make sure that we have several shooting lanes through the brush in different directions. Often a feeder is placed near some sign and the senderos are corned. We learned the hard way to corn beyond 100 yards because too many eyes can cost you the trophy.</B></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="226f7fb0.jpg" border=0 width="247" height="251" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>20' "Doghouse" Tower on a Sendero </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>The picture above shows the "Doghouse" tower where our best buck on the lease was harvested last year. Named by Eric Carper of Whitetails Unlimited because it reminded him of a little place in old Mexico! The road runs east/west and the tower is on the south side. This stand is located in a transition zone between fields and a dense bedding area that we leave alone just like a sanctuary. Situated like this you never know what might show up moving through the brush.</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>The other permanent stands we use are semi-towers. These stands sit 4'-6' off the ground. They are easier to relocate than a tower yet still gives you visibility and keeps your sent off the ground. Whenever possible we avoid ground blinds unless the terrain can naturally give you enough elevation to provide visibility and get your human sent off the ground. For example, one of our lease members likes ground blinds placed 60 yards from feeders with no regard to the wind, sign, or terrain and he wonders why he only sees young bucks and does!</B></I></div> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="228c3d50.jpg" border=0 width="195" height="213" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <I><B>This is one of our most productive semi-towers. Placed in a great crossing area it always produces deer. Placed 110 yards south of the best trails the only time we leave it alone is early in the season if we have a south wind. Semi-towers are also great for taking your kids hunting because they are easy to get in and safe. This one is called the "Scorpion" because of an early morning problem!</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Where we hunt tree stands are not a good option because we have very few trees tall and straight enough to attach a stand. So in our part of the world tripods and quadpods have replaced tree stands. They are my favorite stand to hunt in because of their portability and the ability to get closer to the deer without alarming them. In fact, in our best setups we have had deer walk within mere yards of our tripods with spooking. </B></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>When we set up a tripod we use it to either hunt new sign or we pattern the deer movement and place the tripod to take advantage of the wind or terrain. Several times we have harvested good bucks by locating sign, popping up a tripod and hunting it the same day. Big bucks are harvested by being, "where you aren't suppose to be", so we throw them some tricks by coming from different directions. This technique also works quite well in the vicinity of permanent stands. We have found that big bucks will learn to skirt around permanent stands so we use tripods to hunt the sneaks. You may not see a lot of deer but usually what you see is worth the effort.</B></I></div> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="22ac3be0.jpg" border=0 width="195" height="190" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <I><B>The tripod located in the center of the picture is one of our better setups. This one is called the Cadillac because it has such a good ride! This is a great stand and one of the few tripods we don't move much. After moving it three times we have it in a great place for sign, wind, deer movement, and terrain. Backed into a live oak and with brush hiding the base deer never see you as long as you wear camo and a FACEMASK. By the way, we wear facemasks in all our stands and believe it makes a huge difference between seeing good bucks or just does and young bucks.</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Depending on where we are hunting we also sometimes use vehicles as portable blinds. In Texas it is legal to hunt from a vehicle on private property and often the ranches are so large that it becomes the most effective way to hunt. Hunting rigs come in all shapes and sizes but Texas is known for the "high rack". </B></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="22cc3720.jpg" border=0 width="195" height="114" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Pictured is a "high rack" 4x4 pickup used a mobile hunting blind. In order to see over the thick low brush platforms are built on vehicles to elevate the hunters just like a tower. Totally portable you can either hunt while driving or back in the brush to see what comes out. Hunting in a high rack is a great experience and ideally suited for some ranches. </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Believe it or not we also hunt on the ground with our feet. Stalking and rattling bucks is a great thrill. Last fall we caught the rut just right one cool morning on a fresh cut sendero in south Texas. From 30 minutes after daylight till 9:00 we rattled in 18 bucks eight points or better including one monster 11 point that might go book. We didn't fire a shot but I will never forget the hunt.</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>So there you have some of the techniques we use to hunt deer in Texas. We use a lot of different methods but we hunt hard and we hunt ethically. Best of all we get to manage our wildlife by being very selective and patient harvesting only mature representative animals from the areas we hunt. Let's go hunting... </B></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Our next Editorial is...</B></I></div> <div> <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HuntGear"><U><I><B><U>HUNTING GEAR THAT WORKS </U></B></I></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Notice of Copyright</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>All rights reserved.  Unless one is a reviewer quoting passages for the purpose of a review, the contents of this web site may not be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without expressed written consent from the owner/publisher. c 2003 U SCORE'M.COM</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Web site design by:</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Ozarks Unlimited Site Services</B></I></div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:bozw00d61@hughes.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:bozw00d61@hughes.net"><U><I><B>Click here to email the Webmaster to build and manage your site for your Outdoor products or services.</B></I></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>