Natural Resource Management TipsApproaches and tips landowners can use to help effectively management their land. |
Natural Resource Management TipsApproaches and tips landowners can use to help effectively management their land. |
A Cut Above9/30/2014 Knives come in all shapes and sizes. The most common knives are fixed blades and folding knives. Fixed blade knives are usually stronger and come with leather or cordura sheaths that can be attached to your belt. Fixed blades are usually used for hunting and skinning game. Folding knives, usually called every-day-use knives are carried in the pocket. I never go anywhere without a small utility or pocket knife. A knife always comes in handy for something, like cutting rope and opening boxes. Fixed blade knives usually have drop point blades, and are very sturdy and constructed of stainless steel or carbon steel. Stainless Steel is more durable, very sturdy and resists rust. Carbon Steel is much softer, holds an edge for a long time and much easier to sharpen. Some fixed blades even have a hook (gut hook), which can be used to open up the cavity of game without puncturing the insides. These gut hooks are very useful when skinning deer. Knife blades are made of numerous material such as stainless steel, carbon steel, tool steel, alloy steel, ceramic and some are even made of plastic. Most of the knives I use are made of either stainless steel or carbon steel. I am partial to carbon steel, because of the ease of sharpening and the ability to hold an edge. I also have a few survival knives, and always have one of these attached to my backpack. You never know when you might need it. These knives are durable and strong. They can be used to cut rope, vines, branches, slicing food, skinning game, digging and just about anything. The most important thing about any knife is to keep it clean and sharp. There are many means of keeping your knife sharp. You can use diamond honing stones, or ceramic sticks, they both work well. Just recently I discovered the “Havalon Knife”. This is a knife that has a stainless steel or carbon replaceable blade. They make 16 different color and styles of the Piranta, and 5 different models of the Baracuta, a fillet knife with a long handle. Havalon has also just added a bone saw blade to fit the Baracuta. I am still testing this knife, but things look good so far. It is sure nice not to have to worry if you knife is sharp. When it gets dull, you just have to replace the blade. No need to carry a sharpening stone in your pack. These Havalons are relatively inexpensive, lightweight and extremely well made. They come with a quality knife case that fastens easily to your belt, and has a place for extra blades.
Dog Days of Summer7/22/2014 July and August are two months hunters can do without. It’s hot, it’s humid, it’s buggy and you can’t hunt anything. You just can’t erase these two months from the calendar, so as hunters we make the best of this time of year. With the start of archery season approaching for most of the country, there are a few things you can do to be productive in the dog days of summer. While not inclusive, the ideas below should be enough to fill time until that first crisp opening morning of fall.
-Check arrows for straightness and fletchings for condition -Spin test arrows -Arrow nocks and inserts should be straight -Sharpen or purchase new broadheads
-Identify any changes in deer patterns from last year -Look for and assess new hunting opportunities
-Purchase necessary hunting permits -Treat weeds and undesirable species in existing food plots -Prepare seedbed and choose seed mix for re-seeding or establishing food plots -Establish food plots in late August -Put out salt/mineral supplements -Trim around stands and maintain shooting lanes
Micro Food Plots7/9/2014 The idea of making big, elaborate food plots that require heavy equipment and hours of labor tends to intimidate landowners. Don't have unlimited time, large equipment or hundreds of acres? A micro food plot is your solution. Micro food plots are small food plots, usually less than an acre, that are strategically located near bedding areas or travel corridors. These small areas are known to attract large bucks throughout the season, particularity during the rut when these areas become social hubs for cruising bucks. Also, most large food sources are poor morning hunt locations because deer have already moved back into cover. Micro plots are designed to be small and established in tactical locations so deer are more at ease using these areas throughout the day. Planting It First thing first, find a small (approximately 1/4 to 1/2 acre) area near a natural travel corridor or known bedding area. An existing gap in the tree canopy is ideal and will require less work to prepare the plot for seeding. Site preparation includes removing existing vegetation using herbicides or mechanical methods and removing the leaf litter using a leaf blower or rake. Most woodlands have acidic soils so applying a pelletized lime and fertilizer mixture is critical for plant growth and even taste. Pelletized lime and fertilizer is recommended over powdered varieties because it is absorbed more quickly by the soil and easier to apply with a small handheld spreader. Having a soil test is beneficial, but in the case without one lime only is preferred as it is the more critical component for success. Finally, broadcast the seed over the lime and fertilizer. Selecting the Seed In most areas, planting will occur about four weeks prior to opening day. Attractiveness and durability should both be considered when selecting forage options. Peas are attractive to whitetails but a micro plot planted in peas can be wiped out in a few days by even a modest deer herd. A clover and brassica mix will draw deer and also provide some durability. Several seed varieties on the market offer this combination and are well suited for micro plots. Putting It All Together If your property doesn't have such areas and you have the ability to create them, it’s definitely worth it. Find areas where the wind, terrain and proximity to bedding and feeding areas all work together to your benefit. Micro food plots are easy to establish and offer increased opportunities for harvesting mature bucks. In fact, planting micro plots may be the single most important thing you can do to improve your hunting area. |
​Pennsylvania forestry consultants, wildlife managers and agricultural conservationists managing and improving properties across the Keystone State and the Northeast since 2009. |
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