Step Outside

Matt Torno and friends This past week brought Leon County some much needed rain. The precipitation should help the spring green-up a great deal. Ponds and creeks should be in better shape for spawning fish after two to three inches of wet stuff. Deer may leave food plots alone this month as there will be plenty of fresh, green vegetation for them to make use of.

Whitetail bucks will drop their antlers this month and most doe are preparing to fawn.

It is a good time to scout in the woods of hunting areas as the trails used by critters during the winter will be very visible through the woods now. These trails are perennial pathways used by Whitetail to get from feeding areas to bedding areas. The vegetation is not as dense now and good scouting for future stand placement can be done.

Don't be surprised if you stumble across a shed antler or two along those well worn trails.

Shed antler hunting can be tough in East Texas because the brush is just too thick to get through in many places and the Squirrels will gnaw up or drag away any antlers lying in plain sight. Persistence will eventually pay off for the determined shed hunter. Even if no sheds are found, poking through the woods is its own reward.

Chiggers, ticks, snakes and mosquitoes will be out soon, so it is best to take precautions before you head out to scout. Take your bug spray and a machete.