DIY Your Prep For Next Season’s Deer Hunting!

Deer season may have just ended, but the prep work for the 2025 season is already beginning. Now is the time to start making plans to improve your chances next fall. Today, we’re going to cover some realistic, DIY-friendly projects that can pay major dividends come September—and save you some cash!

Food Plots & Feeders

A staple of any good hunting property is the availability of food. Maybe you’re lucky, and your land already has a plot of clover or big oaks. If not, that’s an easy fix. One option we’re fond of is Carolina All Out Fall Feast Food Plot Seed, available at your local Agri Supply. This custom blend includes several food crops designed to provide a variety of food sources, each peaking at a different time. Plant it once, and it will keep deer interested in your property year-round.

While you’re at it, don’t forget about minerals. If you plan to hunt this property long-term, adding supplemental minerals can improve the overall health of the deer. Science has proven that mineral supplements containing calcium and phosphorus contribute to healthier deer with a greater propensity for large antlers. Agri Supply also carries a variety of deer-attractant minerals that you can put on the ground right away.

If you’re investing time in mineral sites, don’t forget to check on your trail cameras! Take the time to format memory cards, replace batteries, and clean off the lens and solar panel. Mineral licks are a great place to set up a trail camera, as they provide invaluable information on the deer visiting your property. The next few months are a crucial time to have your cameras in the field.

DIY Feeders

Anyone can buy a nice powered feeder, but you can DIY one for next to nothing. If you’ve got some PVC pipe lying around, you can build a gravity feeder in no time. A quick search for “trough-style feeder” will show you plenty of simple plans using extra wood you might have in the garage. Some designs work for both deer and turkeys—something to keep in mind if you hunt both.

Stand & Blind Maintenance

Your box blind could probably use a fresh coat of camo paint. The sooner you paint it, the more accustomed deer will be to it come opening day. If moving a tree stand is on your to-do list, now is the perfect time. Whether or not you relocate your stands, it’s important to perform a thorough safety check.

As you learned in hunter safety courses, most life-threatening hunting injuries result from falls. Now is the time to inspect your stands. Ensure tree straps are snug, hardware is clean (not rusty or faded), and haul lines and fall arrest equipment are in good shape. If there’s any doubt, replace them—no one wants to risk injury or see their new Tikka take a 20-foot fall into the mud!

Bug Protection

North Carolina offers great weather for hunting, but that also means dealing with mosquitoes and chiggers in September. I always coat my gear in permethrin to keep the bugs off, including my climber stand fabric and ground blind. I highly recommend you do the same!