There are a million ways to make your hunting spot better, but are they all right? Here are a few ways that you can turn that average hunting spot into that awesome hunting hole you have always wanted!!

WATER - The number one thing that you need on your spot is water. Everything on earth revolves around water. We need it and so do the wildlife! If you have a river or creek on your spot then use it to your advantage. Make small ponds with small water ways from the creek to feed them. Inner timber water holes are key for deer and other big game. This allows them to water within the cover and therefore making them more comfortable and less susceptible to predators and other danger. If you don’t have a creek or river, don’t be afraid to make your own watering hole. These watering areas don’t have to be large bodies of water. A 30 foot diameter is plenty big enough to water your herd of animals. Just be sure and do you homework when building these water holes, take advantage of the rain and the rain runoff this will keep you water whole filled during those long warm months.

FOOD - When it comes to food there are tons of products out there that you use to attract deer, but what it all boils down to is what type do the deer need and what time of year do they need it. There are two types of food plots that you will need. First you will need a "hunting plot". This will be where you intend on harvesting your deer and spending most of your time scouting. These hunting plots are usually in the form of "green feed", such as clover, tunips, brasica, alfalfa, etc. The other type of food plot you will need is a feeding plot. These plots are usually a lot bigger in size compared to hunting plot because this is where you will feed the bulk of the herd year around. These plots need to be planted to a grain of sum sort such as corn, soy beans, oats, etc. The reason for the grain is for the high amount of protein and carbohydrates in the feed. The deer need these carbs in the harsh cold months to keep their fat layer thick and this will give you a more plush and healthy herd.

COVER - Cover is just as important as the water and food sources. Without cover you will have a more nocturnal herd of deer. There are a lot of ways to add cover and help conceal those food and water sources. One way that I have personally done and seen others do is planting cedar trees and tall native grasses along the county roads. This is a very cheap way of building cover, cedar trees are a very hardy and fast growing tree that makes a great shelterbelt. Doing things along the road like this also cuts down on the road hunters and poachers from taking deer off your property. Planting tall warm season grasses such as switch grass and crp are great cover for deer they can travel through it easily and they love to bed in it!! Always remember when planting these grasses you plant them in a way that you can also use them as cover to get in and out of the stand or ground blind without being detected. Building and planting all of this cover on the outer perimeter of your property will allow the deer to bed on the edges and feed on the inside where they are the safest and most comfortable, which leads to making them less nocturnal and move more during the daylight hours.

HUNTING PRESSURE - One of the biggest mistakes hunters make is hunting a set up too much. It’s a scenario that happens in the woods across the nation every year. You are scouting your favorite area and you spot that big bruiser buck, so the first thing you do is pattern the buck. You get in his living room and hang a stand. Opening day gets here and you head into that same spot where you saw the big boy. You sit and sit yet don’t see him. The next day rolls around and the wind is just not quit rite, but you have a good feeling so you hunt it anyway. You have just made two big mistakes. First and absolute biggest mistake you made is forcing a sit when the wind is wrong. Never ever do this. This is the fastest way to ruin a good spot. Don’t allow the deer to find out they are being hunted. Second mistake you made is hunting your stand consecutive days. If you can allow your stands to air out a few days between hunts do so. Have several different stands set up for different days of the week. Be mobile and keep those deer on their toes, don’t let them know you are there.

Follow these simple steps and I promise you too will be well on you way to hanging that big bruiser on your wall!!