The string of 100-plus days with blazing sun In Texas got me to thinking of how whitetails (does with growing fawns and bucks with rapidly growing velvet racks) survive and thrive in oppressive summer heat, so I went to Grant Woods, one of America’s top biologists, for some answers: “Temperatures above normal during summer certainly cause deer stress,” said Grant. How much stress is dependent on the quality of the habitat in an area. For example, deer consume more water than any other mineral (yes, water is a mineral, a naturally occurring substance) and the quantity of water necessary increases during periods of above normal temperatures. If water is limited by quantity or quality, many bodily functions are limited, such [...]

I run several trail cameras year-round, but the July 4 holiday is when I start my buck recon in earnest for the new season. Velvet antlers are up and growing full bore. When you get an image of a buck with shooter potential, you’ll know it and can start tracking his movements for the next few months. Here are 3 great spots to set your cameras. Food Plot Funnels Next week on one property, we’ll set 2 cameras on 2 small clover plots hidden back in the woods. We’ll set 3 more cams on larger plots, but not aimed out into the clover. Rather, we’ll place these cams 20 to 30 yards back in the green thickets that rim the [...]