The month of February typically means down time in the life of a hunter. But it doesn’t have to. There are lots of animals you can hunt in February.
Deer season might be, it’s too early for turkey hunting, and it’s likely too cold to think about doing much outdoors anyway. In reality is there is a lot of animals you can hunt in February.
For starters, you can scout your deer hunting grounds. It’s just as important to keep an eye out for game whether it’s a week before the hunting a season or after it’s just ended.
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Start by looking for sign, anything that indicates an animal was there maybe a paw print, matted over grass or scat. If you established any feed plots you can take a look to see which type of vegetation the deer liked most. What’s working and what isn’t? Then make adjustments.
You can check out the location of your tree stand or ground blind. See if there are any noticeable sign immediately adjacent to your prime hunting spot. If there is nothing place you think might work better, move it now so that animals will be accustomed to it come hunting season.
Any good hunter will tell you, animals remember everything about a location. Even if the smallest thing is out of place or added they might spook.
While you’re out looking for deer sign take along a hunting rifle. Anything the state deems a nuisance animal is fair game year-round. And you won’t have to enter any lottery, that’s for sure. February is a great month for hunting raccoon, rabbit, possum, armadillo.
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Who knows, you might run across a bobcat ready to pounce or a cunning fox behind a rock. A coyote would make a nice pelt or a stuffed trophy.
Let’s not forget the prize of all nuisance animals, hunting wild hogs. Great eating and almost always in need of exterminating. If you can find a landowner with a wild hog problem, look to make a deal in exchange for the meat. Chances are the owner will want to get rid of the pesky animals, which dig up the ground and destroy property.
Choosing what gun to bring along depends on what you plan on hunting. For small game like squirrel and rabbits the favorite among sharp shooters is a .22 rifle. Almost like a pellet gun, the .22 requires precision and it doesn’t destroy the meat. Sure you could bring out the shotgun but it’s hardly worth it.
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For anything larger, especially a wild hog, you’re going to want something with some more power. Many hunters are surprised at just how thick a wild boar’s skin can be. You take a shot with that .22 you were using for squirrel hunting and the bullet is liable to bounce right off that pig.
A go-to gun to take down a wild boar or any number of large predator animals is a hunting rifle that handles the .308 Winchester round, one of the most venerable and most versatile hunting cartridges going back to the 1950s.
Any number of rifles can handle the .308 round from standard hunting rifles to an AR-15. Best of all, it’s powerful enough to take down a moose yet not overpowering with a massive recoil.
If all of these options fail you for hunting in February, just sit back on your recliner and click over to your favorite hunting show until the weather clears up and it’s time to hunt Turkeys. Or there is always fishing.
Photo credit: Pixabay
