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Ground Blind Hunting Tips Photo Credit: Trophy Pursuit

Ground Blind Hunting Tips for the Late Season

 

Ground Blind Hunting Tips For Late Season Hunting

The 9th inning has arrived and while to many hunters that sounds like we are the bearer of bad news, it, in fact, is quite the opposite. Knowledge is power, and in this case, it is your only opportunity at scoring a 9th inning buck. For the past several weeks our blog topics have been diving into preparation for the late season. It now seems to be a fit time to dive straight into the actual hunting tactics. For the last weeks of deer season, a ground blind stands as one of best tools a hunter can possibly use. The characteristics of the late season intertwined with a ground blind’s effectiveness is unrivaled during this time period. Take these ground blind hunting tips for the late season and apply them to your hunting strategy. The time period, the tool, these tips, and the strategy all come together to give you a chance at that 9th inning buck you are so desperately seeking.

With state’s firearms seasons closing, bucks are finally starting to feel the effects of relentless hunting pressure lifting off of properties. This godsend goes hand in hand with the arrival of cold temperatures and the attraction of late season food sources. These ingredients spell out a recipe for one of the best times to kill you hit-list buck, even when it is the 9th inning! The reason for this is not just due in part to the biology and behavior of white-tailed deer, but what tools have been made available that are so extremely effective during these last weeks.

Trail Cameras Tell the Story

In the past weeks, the relentless preparation and work to establish intel on late season food sources have been put entirely on the shoulders of trail cameras. In recent weeks we have provided countless trail camera tips, and trail camera settings for the late season in order to help you discover a “patternable” mature buck on these food sources.

 

 

For all practical purposes, trail cameras have started and are currently telling the story of the late season. With the help of both trail cameras on time-lapse mode, and trail cameras in late season funnels a mature buck cannot go unseen when entering a late season food source. Now, with the season running out of pages so to speak, hunters look for a hunting tool and tactic to finish and close the book on a hit-list buck!

Blinds Finish It

During this time of year blinds, in general, take precedence over tree stands. Whether you favor box blinds, elevated ground blinds, mobile ground blinds, or bale blinds doesn’t matter, the simple fact is that they are the best tool for the job. Why?

Whitetail 101 Episode 17 from Muddy’s Trophy Pursuit on Vimeo.

Bill Winke, the host of Midwest Whitetail and Muddy’s Whitetail 101, explains why blinds are the only tool for the job in the late season. The very nature of deer and the late season support this reasoning…

  • It’s Cold –Temperatures dropping beneath 32 degrees packs quite a punch, especially with a 10 mph wind backing it. Blinds offer a hunter a windscreen and ultimately provides a hunter with a buffer from the weather and late season elements.
  • Deer are FED UP with Movement– By now deer are extremely wary of the slightest movements. This can make hunting from a tree stand nearly impossible. Rather, a ground blind or elevated box blind allows you to conceal your movements.
  • Food Source– In this period of deer season, with the deer so heavily focused on food, easily mobile ground blinds can easily be placed and moved in and around the food sources according to patterns and wind directions.

While blinds might be the best tool for the late season, no tool is without a flaw. The simple fact is that you are at the deer’s level. This requires extra precautions from both their sight and sense of smell. Ground blind hunting in the late season requires special attention in the placement according to both the deer and the food source.

Ground Blind Hunting and Placement Tips

Trail Cameras Weekly’s Weston Schrank walk you through how to determine the perfect spot for the blind on your late season food source. It will depend entirely on these 5 features. Take a good look at these features not only when you are setting up the blind, but every time you hunt as they are constantly changing.

 

  • Food Source – Identify and take a good look at the food source and all of the features and characteristics of the area.
  • Bedding Area – Figure out where the closest bedding area is, also consider where a mature buck might bed.
  • Funnels and Runs – You need to identify the main funnel or easiest travel route for the deer utilizing the food source.
  • Wind and Thermals– The wind direction and more importantly thermals are the most important consideration in relation to your blind setup location, the bedding area, and where the deer will be.
  • Hunter Access -Your entrance/exit route must be safe during the day and night, In order to keep the food source pressure free.

 

By looking at a map and scouting the food source and surrounding area, the above 5 features will easily suggest the best location for the blind.

Other Ground Blind Hunting Tips for the Late Season

Remember, late season hunting is nearly always afternoon hunting. It is ideal for the late season as deer work their way out of the bedding areas on very cold days to feed on the food source early to avoid the frigid temps of the early morning. This feeding will occur in daylight for the most part as they simply need more time to feed! This means thermals mid-hunt to the last hour of light will begin to drop off the hills and follow topography like water. The goal is to set the blind up where we can access it without walking across where we expect deer for scent purposes, or allow deer in the bedding area to see us, and also needing to consider our exit in relation to deer feeding in the field. At the same time, you must make sure the wind direction and/or the falling thermals are exiting the field in a way that for the most part deer will not catch your wind.

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By reading these ground blind hunting tips, you should walk away with three key take home points…One, the 9th inning is not the time to give up on deer season. Two, you should be hunting out of a ground blind during the late season. Finally three, there is a lot more to setting up a ground blind that simply placing it for the shot. With ideal blind setups for late season hunting, observations in place, and required prep work from trail cameras and scouting, you will be setting yourself up for success in either this week or the cold weeks to come!

Christmas Gifts for Hunters

Muddy’s Sales and Deals | Christmas Gifts For Hunters

Christmas Gifts For Hunters

Now is the time for forgiveness! Your loved one has been most likely in the woods since October, but now that the main part of hunting season is over, they are finally back. What says forgiveness more than “I’m sorry”? How about a couple items under the tree inspired by his passion? If you are looking for Christmas gifts for hunters then you have come to the right place. We have some great deals on items for the hunter in your family!

Nothing says Merry Christmas like a brand new tree stand or blind. Whether you like it or not, even though deer season is over your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, son, or whoever else you’re shopping for is already thinking about next year. A new tree stand or blind will excite them for next year, and fuel their passion during the offseason! Check out the deals below!

1.The Muddy Boss XL

       $10 OFF the Muddy Boss XL

Promo code: boss10

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PRODUCT FEATURES

Removable, Water-Resistant, Triple-Foam Padded Seat for All Day Comfort!
Wide Stance Platform with Fixed Footrest
Seat Flips Back for Full Platform Use

PRODUCT SPECS

  • CONSTRUCTION: Steel
  • FOOT PLATFORM: 25” Wide x 34” Deep, Fixed Footrest
  • SEAT SIZE: 18” Wide x 12” Deep
  • SEAT STYLE: 3” Triplex Foam, Flips Back
  • SEAT HEIGHT: 22”
  • PACKABLE: Designed to Pack Together with Several Compatible Muddy Climbing Systems(sold separately)
  • FASTENERS: 1-2” Silent Slide Buckle Strap
  • STAND WEIGHT: 20 Lbs.
  • TREE SIZE: Minimum 9” Diameter
  • WEIGHT RATING: 300 Lbs.
  • HARNESS: Full Body Fall Arrest Harness Included

2. The Muddy Outfitter

SAVE $10 and get FREE SHIPPING on the Outfitter

Promo code: outfitfree

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PRODUCT FEATURES

Removable, Waterproof, Flip-Back, Triple Foam Padded Seat
Wide Stance Platform with Flip Back Footrest
Seat & Foot Platform Adjust

PRODUCT SPECS

  • CONSTRUCTION: Steel,
  • FOOT PLATFORM: 24” Wide x 34” Deep, Flipback Footrest;
  • SEAT SIZE: 15” Wide x 11” Deep;
  • SEAT STYLE: 3″ Triplex Foam, Waterproof, Flips Back, Removable;
  • SEAT HEIGHT: 24”;
  • PACKABLE: Designed to Pack Together with Several Compatible Muddy Climbing Systems(sold separately);
  • FASTENERS: 1-1” Silent Cam-Buckle Strap; 1-1″ Looped Ratchet Strap
  • STAND WEIGHT: 18 Lbs.;
  • TREE SIZE: Minimum 9” Diameter;
  • WEIGHT RATING: 300 Lbs.;
  • HARNESS: Full Body Fall Arrest Harness Included

3.The Muddy Grandstand

$25 OFF the Muddy Grandstand

Promo code: grand25

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Super Comfortable & Spacious Seat that Flips Back for Full Platform Use
Extra Wide and Angled Steps with Hand Rails
Flip-Back TWO-WAY Adjustable Padded Shooting Rail that Adjusts Height and Depth
Flip-Back Footrest
1 x Drink Holder + 1 x Accessory Hook

PRODUCT SPECS

  • CONSTRUCTION: Steel, DXT & RS Tubing
  • HEIGHT TO SHOOTING RAIL: 16′
  • FOOT PLATFORM: 28″ Wide X 35″ Deep, Flip-Back Footrest
  • SEAT SIZE: 24″ Wide X 17″ Deep
  • SEAT STYLE: Flex-Tek, Flips Back
  • SEAT HEIGHT: 21″
  • BACKREST: 26″ Wide x 17″ Tall
  • SHOOTING RAIL: 2-Way Adjustable, Padded, Flips Back
  • FASTENERS: 2- 1″ Ratchet Straps,2- 1″ Stabilizer Straps
  • SUPPORT BAR: Adjustable
  • LADDER SECTIONS: 3 x Single Rail; Bolted, Wide Angled Steps
  • STAND WEIGHT: 99 Lbs.
  • WEIGHT RATING: 350 Lbs.
  • TREE SIZE: Minimum 9″ Diameter
  • HARNESS: 1 Safety Harness Included

4.The Woodsman Climbing Tree Stand

SAVE $30 and get FREE SHIPPING on the Woodsman Climbing Tree Stand

Promo code: woodsman16

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Non-Slip Slats on Foot Platform
Flip-Back Foot Rest
Rubber Coated Foot Straps
Padded, Sling-Style Seat for Comfort
Padded Backrest
Accessory Bag Included
Backpack Straps Included
Hybrid Mounting System (Hybrid MS); Flexible Like a Cable. Strong Like a Chain
Spring-Loaded Pin for Quick, Easy Chain Adjustments

PRODUCT SPECS

  • CONSTRUCTION: Aluminum
  • FOOT PLATFORM: 20.5″ Wide x 29.5″ Deep, Flip Back Footrest
  • SEAT SIZE: 17″ Wide x 11″ Deep
  • SEAT STYLE: 2″ Thick Foam
  • SEAT FEATURES: Slides Back,  Adjustable, Removable
  • BACKREST: 2″ Thick Foam
  • PACKABLE: Yes, 2 Backpack Straps Included
  • CLIMBING SYSTEM: 2X Hybrid Climbing Chains
  • FASTENERS: 2X Hybrid Climbing Chains w/Spring-Bolt Knob,1-1″ Cam-Buckle Strap
  • PADDING: Padded Armrests and Seat Bar for Comfort
  • STAND WEIGHT: 20 LBS
  • TREE SIZE: Minimum 9″ Diameter
  • WEIGHT RATING: 300 LBS
  • HARNESS: Full Body Fall Arrest Harness Included

5.XLT Stagger Steps

SAVE $40 and get FREE SHIPPING on the XLT Stagger Steps (3 Pk)

Promo code: staggerfree

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

For an even safe climb to your perfect hunting spot, the XLT Stagger Steps from Muddy are made extra wide for stability. Designed for use on crooked or leaning trees, XLT Stagger Steps give you an easy and fast climb. Powder-coated steel specialty texture adds no-slip grip. Durable orange nylon washers, spacers, and caps provide no metal-on-metal contact, producing no noise that could scare game. The XLT Stagger Steps are packable for easy carrying and storage. Comes with three Stagger Steps. Total height: 16′ (18” between sections). Section dimensions: 46″H x 14″W. Total weight: 21 lbs.

FEATURES

  • Extra-wide steps for stability
  • Designed for use on crooked or leaning trees
  • Powder-coated steel specialty texture adds grip
  • Durable orange nylon washers, spacers, & caps
  • Packable for easy carrying & storage

6.The Ravage

$10 OFF the Muddy Ravage

 Promo code: ravage10

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Sets up in Seconds!
Completely Blacked-Out Interior
Silent, One-Hand Release Hooks for Window Adjustment
9 Steel Stakes with Interior Stake Pocket
2 Interior Gear Pockets
Standard Carry Bag Included

PRODUCT SPECS

  • CONSTRUCTION: Black Backed, Water Resistant Fabric in Epic Camo
  • DIMENSIONS: 72” Shooting Width x 64” Standing Height
  • HEIGHT TO BOTTOM OF WINDOWS: Corner Windows – 23”Center Windows – 34”
  • CARRYING BAG: Standard Carry Bag with Backpack Straps
  • STAKES: 9 Steel Stakes Included in Stake Pocket
  • DOOR: Easy Access Door with Full-Length Zipper
  • TOTAL WEIGHT: 18.5 Lbs.
  • WINDOW SECURING: Removable Shoot-Through Mesh with Silent One Hand Release Hooks to Adjust & Lower
  • BRUSH STRIPS: Lower Strips Included for Easy Adaption to Your Location
  • OTHER FEATURES: 4 Tie-Down Ropes to Secure Against Wind

7. The Portable Bale Blind

$25 OFF the Portable Bale Blind

Promo code: port25

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

47” Wide x 20” Tall Waterfowl Window
Large Zippered Door
8 Windows 12” Wide x 16” Tall
Windows are reversible, with Burlap on One Side and Black on the Other
Bottom Wind Flaps
Packs away to fit in a truck bed for portability
Brush ties and brush strips throughout the blind

PRODUCT SPECS

  • CONSTRUCTION: Powder-Coated Steel Covered with Black-Backed, Water-Resistant Denier Fabric+Burlap
  • DIMENSIONS: 61″ Wide x 63″ Long Shooting Width x 76″ Standing Height
  • HEIGHT TO BOTTOM OF WINDOWS: 32″
  • WATERFOWL OPENING: 47″ Wide x 20″ Tall
  • BRUSH STRIPS: Brush Ties & Brush Strips Included for Easy Adaption to Your Location
  • DOOR: Large Zippered Door
  • OTHER FEATURES: Reversible Shooting Windows,Bottom Wind Flap
  • TOTAL WEIGHT: 54 Lbs.

8. The Commander Double Ladder Stand

$10 OFF + FREE SHIPPING on the Muddy Commander Double Ladder Stand

Promo code: commanderfree

 

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Padded, Flip-Back Shooting Rest
3” Thick Seat
Padded Side Rails

PRODUCT SPECS

  • CONSTRUCTION: Steel;
  • HEIGHT TO SHOOTING RAIL: 18’;
  • FOOT PLATFORM: 36.5” Wide x 12.5” Deep;
  • SEAT SIZE: 38” Wide x 12” Deep;
  • SEAT STYLE: 3” Triplex Foam;
  • SEAT HEIGHT: 19”;
  • SHOOTING RAIL: Padded, Flips Back;
  • FASTENERS: 1-1” Ratchet Strap,2-1” Stabilizer Straps;
  • SUPPORT BAR: Adjustable;
  • LADDER SECTIONS: 3 x Single Rail; Bolted;
  • STAND WEIGHT: 53 Lbs.;
  • WEIGHT RATING: 500 Lbs.;
  • TREE SIZE: Minimum 9” Diameter;
  • HARNESS: 2 Safety Harnesses Included

9.The Outlander

$10 OFF the Muddy Outlander

Promo code: outlander10

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Padded Flip-Back Shooting Rail
Flip-Back Footrest

PRODUCT SPECS

  • CONSTRUCTION: Steel
  • HEIGHT TO SHOOTING RAIL: 17’
  • FOOT PLATFORM: 19” Wide x 10” Deep, Flip-Back Footrest
  • SEAT SIZE: 18” Wide x 13” Deep
  • SEAT STYLE: Flex-Tek
  • SEAT HEIGHT: 20”
  • BACKREST: 18” x 13” Tall
  • SHOOTING RAIL: Padded, Flips Back
  • FASTENERS: 1-1” Ratchet Strap,2-1” Stabilizer Straps
  • SUPPORT BAR: Adjustable
  • LADDER SECTIONS: 3 x Single Rail – Bolted
  • STAND WEIGHT: 43 Lbs.
  • WEIGHT RATING: 300 Lbs.
  • TREE SIZE: Minimum 9” Diameter
  • HARNESS: 1 Safety Harness Included


Anyone of these Christmas gifts for hunters should put a smile on the face of your hunter in the family. If you enjoyed these deals and ideas, check out our blog on stocking stuffers for hunters!

Mock scrapes and trail cameras | Muddy Outdoors

Mock Scrapes | How to Take Full Advantage of a Buck’s Weakness

Taking Advantage of Mock Scrapes With Trail Cameras

Deer season has arrived and with it the unmistakable frustration of not seeing deer during the first weeks of October. No, we are not talking about you only not seeing deer in the stand, but nearly everywhere, including on your trail cameras. This frustration comes at a high price as you will waste the first weeks of deer season playing a game of cat and mouse with of course no claws or teeth to catch the mouse…sounds frustrating right? It is without the proper guidance! The reason for this frustration is the loop many hunters (you included) get thrown into just before the season starts and it all starts with your trail cameras. Luckily mock scrapes are the answer to the problem that you have yet to realize or seek a solution for.

Trail Cameras Weekly | Week 1: Mock Scrapes
(Video)- Mock scrapes can be the solution to a problem hunters face this time of year. Bait sites need to be taken down, so hunters are looking for a good location to hang their trail cameras in order to gather intel about bucks. This is usually in the form of food plots or mock scrapes as both supplies attraction in order to draw the deer in front of the camera. For how to make a mock scrape, I simply find a good location where deer and more importantly bucks frequent, find a good sturdy licking branch 4-5 ft high, snap it off, clear out the ground with a stick about 2 ft wide, and put scent in the form of mock scrape starter on the ground.

 

The Problem

Here is the issue at hand, lack of intel driven with attraction. All summer long you have relied heavily on trail cameras, baits sites, and scouting crop fields to tell you what bucks you have and where they reside on your property. As the summer has recently progressed into fall and into deer season, bait sites needed to be removed and bean fields were drying up. You were left begging the question “how do I find my bucks now?”

Mock scrapes and trail cameras | Muddy Outdoors

Luckily sources of help and quality information are available on channels like Muddy TV. Bill Winke of Midwest Whitetail and the weekly web show “Whitetail 101” dives into this subject continuously throughout October. Bill is an expert at “finding bucks back again” after they have moved home ranges and adjusted on different food sources. The secret to Bill’s success is putting trail cameras in the right locations, with the right attraction, and the right settings. This will become your success point as well after reading through this article.

The Solution

Again the problem isn’t necessarily the changing times, it’s the behavioral changes in whitetails in addition to the legal ramifications (in some states) of having bait out on the property around your stands. This is an issue because it is in the best interest for you to have some sort of attraction in front of your trail camera to snap pictures of bucks and gain valuable intel. With bait or any “edible” attraction out of the question, we are left with one thing…scent.

The Weakness

During the early season and pre-rut, bucks have one weakness that can be taken advantage of. Their inquisition. Whitetails are curious creatures, they are also social and creatures of habit making this weakness even more deadly. Communicating and learning about other deer and the status of those deer continually throughout October and November takes place at a scrape. Bucks and does alike will visit scrapes throughout the season presenting two opportunities.

By creating mock scrapes the two opportunities can be fully extorted. The first opportunity is mock scrapes create the attraction needed to draw deer in front of your trail cameras. The second arrives once a buck has been located and somewhat patterned, as these mock scrapes suggest tree stand locations.

How to Make a Mock Scrape

Follow these simple steps to make an attractive and useful mock scrape.

  • Step 1: Find high traffic area located in the right seasonal location (around acorns, in a food plot, by crops)
  • Step 2: Find a tree with a good branch, or hang a branch in the location that is within shooting range of a potential tree stand site.
  • Step 3: Create or bend down a licking branch 4-5 feet high. Break the tip off just like a buck does when making or checking a scrape.
  • Step 4: Take a stick and clear out a 2ft circle under the licking branch.
  • Step 5: Apply mock scrape starter to the dirt or use human urine. Do not put urine on the licking branch, only apply forehead gland or preorbital gland scent products to the licking branch.
  • Step 6: Hang a trail camera over the location

Mock scrapes and trail cameras | Muddy Outdoors

Hanging Trail Cameras Over Mock Scrapes

Follow these simple steps to hang trail cameras correctly over mock scrapes.

  • Step 1: Find a tree opposite the mock scrape’s face. Do not put trail camera close or right on top of mock scrape as it could put unwanted scent and be seen by the bucks.
  • Step 2: Place trail camera around 10 yards from scrape.
  • Step 3: Set the delay to 1 minute as does and bucks will not spend a lot of time at a mock scrape sight, but instead will only pass through and investigate, or work the scrape quickly.
  • Step 4: Set the trail camera on a long video mode. For Muddy trail cameras, the 2 minute HD video is perfect for detecting bucks and watching both where they enter/exit and how they work the scrape.

This year if you are struggling to find out where to put your cameras or are struggling to capture your bucks again after summer, try using mock scrapes and trail cameras in combination. By placing mock scrapes in areas subject to deer traffic in different parts of the seasons (acorns early, green food sources later, funnels in the rut, and late season food sources) you will be able to continually attract bucks in front of your trail cameras. This will reveal valuable intel that otherwise would go unnoticed.

For other trail camera tips visit the following blog:

Why have mineral sites for Bucks

Muddy Trail Cameras | The Why, When, Where, and How of Minerals for Deer

What You Need To Know for Putting Out Minerals for Deer This Summer

Tree stand maintenance, shed hunting, frost seeding, food plots, and then what? This has been the schedule from this point on for about 4-5 months. By the time food plots are planted, hunters can feel a false sense of accomplishment. They feel they can begin to calm down from the mad rush of spring chores and coast it out until deer season. Unfortunately for them there is still one vital piece missing from the checklist…putting out minerals for deer!

Now when it comes to mineral stations there is a misunderstanding that the common sense logic is correct, when in fact it really isn’t. Hunters each and every year will put out mineral stations for deer and miss the true reason for why we put out minerals. This article dives into the why, when, where, and how of mineral stations for deer.

Why and When Do We Put Out Mineral Stations For Deer?

The Science Behind the Need (Or Not) for Deer Minerals | Buck Advisors

(Video) There is a big misunderstanding that minerals equal big antlers, which is not correct! The Buck Advisors’ Weston Schrank reveals the real science and reason for mineral stations for deer!

The fact that putting out mineral bags and blocks for deer to grow bigger antlers is a false assumption. The real reason we put out mineral stations for deer is due to their salt craving for the summer. This craving is present during the entire time plant growth is at its peak in spring and summer with water and potassium content at an all-time high. This also happens to be when bucks are growing antlers, and does are giving birth to fawns and lactating over the summer. This is what creates the misunderstanding, the timing and need for salt in most hunters mind has suggested that deer need minerals, which in turn covers up the true advantage.

So if not for growing bigger antlers and helping fawn development why do we put out mineral stations for deer? The answer to this is our own desire. The desire for us to see velvet bucks can take advantage of the buck’s cravings for salt, revealing the real reason for mineral stations, taking inventory of velvet bucks with trail cameras.

Where and How Many Mineral Stations to Put Out

Deer Mineral Station Placement and Density | Buck Advisors

(Video)- Putting out minerals for deer is critical to start in May and June! Buck Advisor’s Weston Schrank explains exactly how many mineral stations for deer you need and where to place them on your deer hunting property.

One of the most important pieces of information, besides actually putting out mineral stations is, installing them at the correct density and in the right location. So where do you put mineral stations for deer out on your property, and how many do you put out? For this answer we have to touch on the real reason for these mineral sites again, basically to take inventory of velvet bucks.

That word, “inventory” is used only one other time when referring to deer…trail camera surveys. While putting out trail cameras over minerals for deer isn’t necessarily a trail camera survey due to the lack of specific settings, time of year, and applying an equation, it is keeping tabs on all the deer utilizing your property. In order to do this you have to be sure you are placing the minerals and game cameras in the correct locations and density (putting enough sites out to capture all deer on the property).

  • Where: throwing out minerals or a block just anywhere will not accomplish anything, you have to think and plan around it. You need to place the minerals and trail cameras in location that deer frequent. For spring and summer this means transition areas between food sources and bedding.
  • Density: Again referring to a trail camera survey most recommendations are a mineral station for every 80-100 acres of property, but only you can really tell how many mineral stations and trail camera sites you need. Habitat diversity, topography, cover, and human pressure can all affect deer movement and core areas, ultimately deciding how many mineral stations you should have. If a 50 acre property is separated into 2 different habitat types, and resulting in two different bachelor groups using different sides of the farm, then you need 2 mineral sites. Think back to hunting observations and past trail camera pictures to determine how deer use the property.

Patterning Velvet Bucks with Mineral Stations and Trail Cameras

The ultimate goal of installing mineral stations for deer, is to keep tabs and develop patterns on mature bucks. By putting out these sites in late May and early June, and keeping them running until deer season ( if your state requires minerals to be removed) will create a very detailed history and site map of a given bucks home range and core area. It also helps you create a detailed album of antler growth throughout the summer.

If your deer season is early enough such as Kentucky with an early September opener, you might even be able to kill you hit list buck based solely off of the trail camera data from the mineral station. If your hunting season starts later in the month of October, then you will miss the chance for velvet bucks and summer patterns. Fortunately placing a mineral station and trail camera in the right spot, such as a transition area, funnel, or run between bedding areas and food sources will also be a great spot for the rut cycles. This is where another critical point can be introduced, selecting the right trail camera for the job.

Patterning Buck with Muddy Trail Cameras

The new Muddy Outdoors trail camera lineup for 2016 should be a consideration for your trail camera over the mineral stations. The Pro-Cam 12 and Pro-Cam 10 are both quality cameras that can be reliable all summer long, all season long, and for multiple years.  The cameras have all the required specs and technologies to be a top contender for trail cameras that produce clear images for identifying individual bucks during summer. If you’re looking for new trail cameras this year to put over mineral stations for deer, check out muddy trail cameras.

While your food plots are planted, tree stands are up, and your summer checklist is complete, one vital to-do might be missing. If you have yet to put mineral sites and trail cameras up you are behind. Antlers are growing, bucks are feeding, they are craving salt, and we only have 4-5 months before deer season!