Kenneth says COVID-19 has left hunters across the country in new and uncharted territory. This spring the virus sidelined a majority of hunters hoping to turkey and bear hunt across the country, including "The Given Right" team. A long planned black bear hunt to Canada had to be cancelled after the border was closed, a spring brown bear hunt in Alaska was nixed when the state closed the spring hunting seasons and spring turkey hunts in Kansas, Nebraska and Kentucky were also wiped off their schedule. What impact will it have on this fall hunting season? The real outcomes remain to be seen, however many hunters are cautiously optimistic as states are reopening and some regulations are being lifted. Kenneth says he is looking forward to a full fall hunting season where he has elk, moose, mule deer, whitetail deer, black bear hunts and more all lined up. It's his hope that hunters get back outdoors to recreate, and he is also pulling for the success of outfitters hoping they don't suffer from a lack of hunters that may be hesitant to travel due to the virus. Will hunting participation follow the same upward trend that fishing did this spring? It's impossible to know for sure, however Kenneth says that it's very likely there will be more hunters in the woods and fields this year than in years past. With extra time on their hands, many people have spent time scouting throughout the spring and summer and that could very well translate into an increased amount of hunters that are ready to fill tags.
In preparation for the quickly approaching fall hunting seasons, Kenneth says he is spending time getting trail cameras and stands or blinds out. Emphasizing the importance of following state regulations, he says he uses mineral licks in the summer, where legal, to attract deer to camera sites. It's with these attractant sites that he can get pictures to take an inventory of the deer that are in the area, get a firm grasp on how the deer are traveling through the area and at what times, and to make sure they are where he thinks they are. This information is crucial to stand placement and also to more productive hunting once he's on the ground. Kenneth says this is where cellular trail cameras have become so handy. Although he may be several states away from a piece of hunting ground, those cellular cameras can take the pictures, send them to his device(s) and allow him to monitor what's happening without having to manually change cards. He also talks scent control and his approach to managing scent at different times of the year and taking advantage of the tools that are available to hunters today to improve the odds of success.
Be sure to listen in as Kenneth Lancaster joins The Revolution this week with tips for fall hunting preparations. Plus, he'll also spill the beans on how he arrived on naming his show, "The Given Right" and what role Michael Waddell played in it. Catch The Given Right, Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on Sportsman Channel.
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