Preparing for Whitetail Hunting Season
By Kevin Weber
A few months ago things were off to a great start here in Southeast Iowa to prepare for whitetail hunting season. We had a spring with plenty of moisture and food plots were in tip top shape heading into summer. We continued to get more and more rain which eventually led to some consequences. Between the amount of rain we received and what rain we received further upstream led to some severe flooding in our area. The rivers came out of their banks and were near record high levels. Some ag land was impacted, as well as a lot of my food plots.
Now we are transitioning into the middle part of the summer and I’ve got some decisions to make moving forward. Typically I like to have some clover plots and some brassica plots (turnips & radishes). With it being more on the dry and hot side of things now, I might manage what little there is left until we are closer to fall. It is difficult to get clover to grow in the middle of the summer unless we receive a great amount of rain. Waiting until late summer and planting some winter grains or brassicas will be my more effective option for hunting this fall.
Between now and then, my plan is to run my trail cameras and keep the weeds under control where my food plots are. Frequent mowing helps with weed control and will make things a lot easier when it comes to seeding for fall hunting. During this period of waiting for late summer to come around, as mentioned earlier, I can run trail cameras, hang stands, do some summer scouting, and practice with my bow.
A few of my favorite trail cameras include Stealth Cam and Tactacam Reveal Cell Cams. Both of these I have purchased from BlackOvis and have been extremely happy with. If you want to take it a step further, also purchase the trail cam screw in mount. This will allow you to hang on any tree and point your camera in any direction for any scenario.
When it comes to hunting season and off season prep, BlackOvis carries all of my favorite products. A few of my favorites include: Sitka Equinox Hoody, Crispi Nevada Boots, Easton Arrows, Benchmade Knives, and BlackOvis Base Layers.
SITKA Equinox Hoody: A great piece that includes protection against bugs, sun, and sweat. This is a great piece for warm weather and those muggy and buggy sits in the stand.
Crispi Nevada: If you are looking for comfort and durability, look no further. This boot is great for both warm and cool season weather. Waterproof? No problem at all. This boot has Gore-Tex technology and is completely waterproof.
Easton Arrows: My favorite arrow is the Easton Axis. These arrows fly great out of the box and I have never had any issues when tuning or hunting. They are extremely durable and can be paired with any setup that I have ever had.
Benchmade Knife: Pocket knife or hunting knife, it doesn’t matter. Benchmade makes the highest quality knives used for any situation. My favorite hunting knife is the Saddle Mountain Skinner.
BlackOvis Layers: Whether it’s merino or synthetic, BlackOvis has all the options you could ask for. Comfort, warmth, and moisture wicking.
The game of hunting is forever changing and becoming more of a challenge. Having gear you can trust and rely on is super important. Whether you are climbing up a 14k foot mountain chasing a goat, or hunkering down in negative temperatures waiting on the whitetail of a lifetime, BlackOvis has the gear for your next hunt.