linked to my overall vision of management, might well be worth sharing. There are two sizable patches of pawpaws along one of the branches which meander through the land, and locating them meant having a great place to bow hunt in the years they bear fruit. Similarly, the locations of three other types of soft mast—persimmon trees, wild muscadines, and honey locusts—have suggested other food
Putting in the work to clear out openings, plant food plots (Imperial Secret Spot shown) and build stands seems much more enjoyable when you own the property.
simmons, tame muscadines, pears, and the like), get more first-rate food plots planted with things like Imperial Whitetail Clover and Winter-Greens in place, and decide on the ideal type of build-it-yourself ladder stand, then construct several of them. Then there’s the matter of fertilizer and lime, both of which are much needed but costly. Likewise, I would also love to hire someone with a dozer for
The powerful appeal of Magnet Mix is now available in a handy, 4-part block. Just break apart the block and place the sections wherever you want the deer to gather. In addition to being enormously attractive to deer, the formula in the 4-Play block contains a combination of essential vitamins and minerals. Four times the attraction in the block; four times the deer activity on your property. Because of the Magnet Mix line’s incredible attractiveness, some states may consider it bait. Remember to check your local game laws before hunting over Magnet Mix products.
800-688-3030 whitetailinstitute.com The Whitetail Institute 239 Whitetail Trail Pintlala, AL 36043
Research = Results.
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WHITETAIL NEWS / Vol. 16, No. 3
www.whitetailinstitute.com
Whitetail Institute
Jim Casada
Taking a buck on your own land is something many hunters dream of doing.
sources sure to attract deer. The same holds true for two small groves of mature white oaks and the large beech trees scattered across the property. An old logging yard with a huge pile of sawdust and chips is a prime dusting spot for turkeys, while a canebrake of an acre or so is a year-round home to rabbits and a temporary one (usually in January) to woodcock that are migrating through. I’ve learned the favorite haunts of squirrels, located three den trees, and know the lespedeza patches favored by my covey of quail. Similarly, there’s a favored roosting spot for turkeys on a steep bluff, two massive pines that somehow escaped the harsh attention of loggers, and a number of prime listening (for turkeys) and looking (for deer) spots. Nor should the discovery of patches of morel mushrooms in two different places be overlooked, and in no less than five different places I’ve discovered remnants of old tree stands used by deer hunters from yesteryear. Of course loving the land comes at a price, and that isn’t just a matter of annual taxes, expenditures on equipment and improvements, or monthly mortgage payments. There’s the constant concern about trespassers, although catching one individual red-handed, establishing good relationships with neighbors, getting up some signs, and gating off the only vehicular access has helped a great deal. I have one general thought in this regard. In my view, a trespasser is a lawbreaker, plain and simple, and any leniency or “it’s okay this one time but don’t do it again” attitude is a mistake. If you think someone has intentionally trespassed, don’t tolerate it. In one sense, my devotion to these 93 acres is severely restrained. There are lots of things I would love to do, and do immediately. I’d like to construct two ponds of an acre or so each, complete a rifle range (I have this done in rough form but need to build permanent benches and erect a place for targets), and expand my existing group of food plots. I’d also love to plant a number of trees and vines that would outlive me (Chinese chestnuts, sawtooth oaks, per-