Things change all the time, so start scouting for the next deer season now

Rick Brockway

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January 13, 2012

Anonymous Daily Star The Daily Star Fri Jan 13, 2012, 02:24 AM EST

Last week, I told you about my recent pheasant-hunting experience. Since then, we've been out a couple more times. My shooting hasn't gotten much better, but what I have learned and the changes I've seen are amazing.

When I was growing up, my dad tilled the fields and pastured 40 or so head of cattle on the hillside below the woods. Other than a couple groves of mature maples and an occasionally lonely elm, there wasn't another tree across the side hill.

Well, things sure have changed.

The majority of the grazing land has grown up over the years, completely overtaken by scrub pines. It's the way things happen. Now scattered among those pines, hard wood trees are taking hold. A new forest is generating itself. By the time my grandkids are my age, many of the overcrowded pines will have died off, and the land will be dominated by maples, oaks and cherry.

As we have followed the well-trained Labs through this tangle of pines, blackberry briars and other assorted undergrowth in search of pheasants, I've noticed another dramatic change. The hill has definitely gotten steeper. I know we haven't had that much rain and erosion with the hurricanes and stuff, but there's certainly a noticeable difference.

My dad climbed that hill almost every day of his life. In his later years, I remember him saying the same thing. "That darn hill just keeps getting steeper." Now I know what he means.

Other major changes have become obvious, too.

With the growth of new trees and the transformation from pasture to forest, the patterns of the wildlife have changed as well. There's a gully going up from the swamp to the next level that always has been a major travel route for deer. Sure they still use that area, but not like they used to. While hunting those colorful, ring-necked birds, I discovered that their main, muddied trails are now 40 or 50 yards away, running diagonally up the hillside in the thicker pine cover.

Hunting these newly released birds has opened my eyes. It's not just that little gully; the entire mountain has changed over the years. I once thought I knew exactly where deer would be when deer season started, but I failed to change with the habitat.

I also found more buck rubs on trees than I've seen in many years. I guess I've just been in the wrong spots. It's true what they say: Location is everything. Certainly all that buck sign on those saplings was made by more than I saw while hunting last fall.

This might be a good lesson for all of us. After deer season is over and the woods return to normal, we should do some serious scouting for next year. With a little snow on the ground, we can follow tracks and see how the deer's normal patterns have changed from one year to the next. Sure there always will be those special places where deer will hang out or travel to, but the forests and habitat are constantly changing. To be successful hunters, we have to change as well.

During these recent bird hunts, I've already picked out a couple of new spots to hang my tree stands next year. Maybe some of you will want to do the same thing. There's no deep snow to stop you. Go for a hike and see what you learn. It sure opened my eyes.

Rick Brockway writes a weekly outdoors column for The Daily Star. Email him at robrockway@hotmail.com.