Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

While we're all going through the "no man's land" of the calendar year relating to hunting, what activities do you enjoy that are hunting related, but is not actual hunting?

I think there are two that I enjoy most of all. First, I enjoy getting out the bow or gun, and practicing, even if just for fun.

I also like exploring the hunting ground right now. The snow is gone, and forest/tree regrowth is just beginning. It allows me to learn more about the habitat, deer movements, etc. for next season. Plus, some of the areas I rarely get to see after August since I try to keep human activity to a minimum. But those are bedding areas, and buck trails, etc.

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

Fishing and shooting the bow for me. Fishing for me is the best way to get in some early scouting time, especially before the foliage comes back full force later in the spring.

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

Serious work on food plots this year - saw the difference with a mild winter here. Going to concentrate on things that furnish late fall, winter and early spring nutrition.

Also plan to do a lot of lane and entry trimming - again!:D

Steve

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

Looking for sheds, thats huge. Its in areas I dont hunt, so it doesnt hurt. They shift to winter range and thats where the antlers are. Personally I dont worry too much about bumping a buck now anyway. I love walking in the spring, sheds are there, and I can listen to the turkeys too. Id walk for sheds year 'round if I had the time. Ive found them in almost every month of the year, but of course, spring is best, before green-up. Also, looking for indian artifacts. Heck, by the end of spring, I dont even look up!

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

I honestly never knew until recently that anyone actually went out specifically to hunt sheds. This guy on my website does it all the time and always has a new pic with his finds. He's getting older and is actually doing more shed hunting than real hunting lately.

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

the sofa

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

Actually, it's my FAVORITE activity of all. Rates right above my 2nd favorite activity (eating).

Ooops! Never mind . . . it's not at all hunting related either . . .[8D];)

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

It's overtime season for me, so I can buy all of my hunting related needs. Things like lease, liscenses, gas money, clothes, stands, arrows etc.

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

My family and I go ATV riding. We have relatives that go with us. Depending on who all is going, we take a camper or tents and combine camping and quad riding. We usually go up to Marienville in the Allegheny National Forest. We have a great time!

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

Food plots, scouting for spring gobbler, fishing for crappies!!!

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

one word ...............SKEET

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

Bow fishing is a blast, we got a bunch of those asian carp out here. Try it...

Of course regular fishing is great too. Sheds, turkey, and mushrooms suck up the Spring.

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

Wildlife photography every chance I get. I have taken more than 50 thousand pictures in a little over a year. I have been into wildlife photography since 1987. Shed antler hunting, building smallnatural ground blindsfor next bow season and food plot workcoming up soon.

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

there sother activities other than hunting?[8D]

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

I tell you my favorite thing to do is to shop for next year I love looking at all the new bows and guns and stuff hunting related in general. Then going home and trying them out. I especially like to try new black powder and new loads for that multi shot one hole groups. Mike

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

scouting,food plots,habitat improvement.
And dreaming:D

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

fishing and trap shooting helped me out just fine over the summer.

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

Turkey hunting, mushrooming, fishing and practicing for next season.

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

It's a toss up between pre season scoutting and practicing with my bow. i take a tuff bag and hang it from a cloths line or anything to get it up about three feet in the air and then I give it a good spin/push. I walk out to what ever yardage I am practicing from at the time and draw on the target. It helps getting used to holding at draw and timing a shot. You know there are a lot of deer that do not come to a complete stop and just stand there. Since i started doing this I noticed that I am more patient in the woods when taking a shot and i am more accurate when i do shoot.

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

Unless you watchin OLN and eating something from last season!

Anything in the woods is good for me. Great place to escape to and nap for a while.

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

For me its scouting. At times its like hunting w/o shooting. I would add shed hutning, but thats just post season scouting to me.

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

Now that hunting season's over, and spring ski season has officially melted - I like hunting sheds, golf, playing paintball and mountain biking this time of year. For you guys that like shooting stuff, if you've never played paintball, you're missing out on some extreme fun.

Everything gets put on the back burner once spring turkey comes in, though.

Matter of fact, there's a mountain biking adventure set to kick off in 15 minutes.

RE: Best hunting related-but not hunting activity?
 

putting up the tree stand, fishing, shooting clay pigeons and floating down the river catching small mouth