Although it doesn't feel anything like hunting season outside, now is the time to begin the real work that will lead to success in the fall.
It's not too early to begin clearing brush and shooting lanes for existing stand sites, and it's definitely time to prepare new ones for hunting.
Now is the time to put to use the information you gathered last fall during hunting season, or in post-season scouting.
Fawns are now old enough to evade predators, and turkey eggs are all hatched, so get busy trimming around new stand sites and mowing where necessary. This is also a great time to create new travel corridors for deer, or to put obstacles in places you don't want them to go.
A good strategy is to base stand selections on scouting and experience from last year. Deer will likely be changing their patterns about the time the hunting seasons arrive, so summer sign isn't a reliable indicator of where the deer will be come fall.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Prepare several good stand sites so you have options and can adjust to weather, wind and changing food patterns.
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