Episode 1 Off-Season Planning

For the first installment of Nock Out® Lighted Nocks Field Journals, we join The Virtue’s TJ Unger for a quick entry on some of his off-season planning for the 2018 bow hunting season. Bow hunting tasks never stop, not even in the dead of winter. With snow on the ground, fresh deer sign, and plenty of time until the season opens, the off-season creates the perfect time to scout and plan.

While TJ scouts the property he starts his supplemental feeding program. He explains that the recent temperatures and snowfall have created a need to start a bit earlier than March, his normal supplemental feed start date. This also helps TJ in his post-season inventory efforts. Attracting deer to the feed, a perfect opportunity is present for post-season inventory. This not only confirms which deer survived the season, but which bucks are still shedding. TJ also explains that this is in an effort to keep his number one hit-list buck on the property and away from neighboring properties that receive high hunting pressure.

With this info TJ can plan when to shed hunt, but also has more intel available to reaffirm strategies like bow hunting plots. He mentions plans for a perfect early season bow hunting plot. A 5-acre waterway that feeds from a large crop field into the small 60-acre parcel.

Stay up to date with more bow hunting tips, tactics, and info from TJ and the other Nock Out® pro staff at the In Action Blog.