Author Topic: why is it.... (Read 1484 times)

870 expressmag · « **on:** November 15, 2006, 01:46:25 PM »

why is it that someone can take pains to control their scent...clothes..showering spraying etc.....be extra quiet when getting into the blind by walking a 1/2 mile...do off season practice to ensure confidence in my shot....scout..scout..scout....and yet i can't get a deer to save my life!

however....there are some who wake up opening morning and try to locate all of their gear.. ride 4 wheelers right up to their blind...get out and load up there gun that they have not even seen since last november...smoke like a chimney in the blind and even sleep! and still walk away with bucks!

i am ready to pull my hair out! it makes all the preperation and attention to detail that i do seem like a big waste of time....and apparently it is since it's making me look like a fool!

R.W.Dale · « **Reply #1 on:** November 15, 2006, 03:35:10 PM »

Oddly enough I've found that simply being comfortable while hunting can work wonders. let me elaborate.

The trick is to be in the field as much as possible. When it's cold and windy and I'm hunting in a tree stand I have a hard time staying out for much more than 3 or 4 hours in a stretch. But when I hunt in my ground blind I bring a heater , chair , book, and snacks (beanee-weenes and RC cola) I can literally stay out all day long. And I see deer lots of em to, even coyotes and turkeys.

Also you're scouting may be workin against you, What's the first thing that happens to a deers routine when the lead of modern gun season starts flying? That routine flies out the window. Rather than hunt scrapes and rubs try hunting escape routes, cover and water.

flintlock · « **Reply #2 on:** November 15, 2006, 03:49:39 PM »

Much has to do with location...Some guys have a knack (or experience) of picking out a good spot...I doesn't matter how good you smell, shoot or look, if you aren't in the right location...Frankly some of my areas I have hunted for 25 years or so...I don't scout, why let the deer know I'm coming?? I know which way the wind needs to be coming from to hunt it, which direction to come in from, where they bed, food sources, etc...The first time you hunt a stand is the best time to kill a deer out of it...But, I am lucky as we own 3 family farms and I'm over 50...So it does get easier...Frankly I usually see deer when I go hunting...It might not be the one I'm hunting, but I usually see deer...Even if I don't, I usually see something interesting....One of my best hunts last year, I was entertained by 2 young coons in a white oak, not 15 yards away from me...

Another thing...If possible, learn to hunt before a weather front moves in, deer seem to be more active duting this time...

870 expressmag · « **Reply #3 on:** November 15, 2006, 11:55:20 PM »

well yesterday...opening day here in michigan......a storm came in the afternoon...so all morning there were bucks moving all over the place....
my brother....is the one i was referring to in my first post....he doesn;t have a clue about anything just grabs his gun and goes on opening day......i bow hunt this property so thats when i do most of my scouting...and i don;t hunt rub and scrape lines.....see i am also confused about the property that we hunt....it's not your traditional whitetail woods...and so i never see any reference on how to hunt it......180 acres of field....fields on both sides....basically a river runs parralell with the roads and the fields is between them....the river has thin woods lining it..i mean thin....and there is a low area towards the back that the govt pays them to let grow up for wildlife....this year they planted potatoes in the field..so the deer don;t give a hoot about coming into this field for eating....trail camera has pics of about 5 different bucks.....2 of which i think might be gone...an 8 point the neighbor got during bow season..and i heard the other neighbor yesterday got the 10 pointer...and my brother shot a 4 pointer

a45gunslinger · « **Reply #4 on:** November 16, 2006, 03:00:54 AM »

hmm, I Guess i'd have to see you hunt in order to help. here are the little things that i do
1. treestand must have cover behind
2. only move every 30 min..(stand/sit)
3. always scan the woods before moving
4. glass everything
5. don't fidget
6. when you want to leave fron the morning hunt stay another 30 min if possible( i have killed more buck this way)

also you set up seems rather limited as far as stand placement. Make sure your hunting the wind correctly and don't take a chance if the wind is wrong. even if it means no hunting for days. This is where patience really pays off. I hope some of this rambling helps good luck - Kevin

flintlock · « **Reply #5 on:** November 16, 2006, 03:43:31 AM »

Couple of ideas...Walk the river and see if you can find any good deer crossings...Rivers, creeks, swamps are a good area...Also..the grown up area..Is this thick enough and big enough for deer to bed in?? If so, find the trails leading into and out of...Deer will eat Sweet potatoes, don't know about pain white potatess...Deer also like to follow structure (like bass)...Find where 2 or more different types of habitat come together...You will usually find a good trail nearby...Don't assume all the bucks have been killed in the area...Bucks travel during the rut, while their "home" range might be a mile large, they will travel further looking for a hot doe...Find where the does bed and feed, get down wind and wait for a buck to come by, usually 50 yards or so downwind from the doe trail...Good luck..

beemanbeme · « **Reply #6 on:** November 16, 2006, 08:40:42 AM »

uuuuuhhhhhh, deer won't eat potatoes?

? I have to put an electric fence around mine to keep them out. They'll eat the tops and paw the spuds out of the ground.

alleyyooper · « **Reply #7 on:** November 16, 2006, 12:34:36 PM »

Friend of mine likes Pototoes, Pumpkins, Squash, Cabbage and Marshmellows with Blue Berry syrup.
I sat in my portable blind today during a heavy down pour and saw 16 does in the afternoon alone. Yes I was reading and had a cup of hot chicken broth setting in the arm of my chair. All the does came with in 50 yards of me with out bait. They were milling about in the golden rod (brown now) waiting for dark so they could cross the road and go into a corn field.

Al

870 expressmag · « **Reply #8 on:** November 16, 2006, 02:45:05 PM »

well yesterday i was frustrated and mad....i apoligize for posting when i was in a bad mood....but i did get some good advice..thanks guys....well heres the story..second day i was out at 6:30am sitting down..at 6:50 when it was still to dark to shoot a buck..not sure how size still way to dark.....came up about 20yds from my blind and slipped behind me....i sat till about 8:00 when there was some shots on the other side of the river behind my dad who was acrossed the low brushy area from me.....i started glassing the area on both sides of dads blind to see if anything swam the river and popped up by him...in the process i spotted a buck standing in the high brush..a little less than half way between us..i called dad and he couldn;t see it..and i could only see it with binocs.....i didn;t have my range finder on me but yesterday i ranged and i knew where 100 yds was a he was a little ways past that just standing still...he was not spooked..he must have been bedding down in there all night with a doe..i jumped her when i went to retrieve the buck.....well i figured since he was standing still i was confident in my shot because i love to practice....i held just above the shoulder and squeezed...down he went..the bullet dropped about 4.5 inches and sunk right into the neck just in front of the shoulder.....i was speechless! that was my first ever buck! i got my range finder out of the truck when i retrieved the buck..and ranged back to my blind....163yds!! with a remington 870 and remington 3" copper solids....woulda been an 8 point but it looks like he did a lot of rubbing and the one point got rubbed down and smoothed off..so it has 7 legit points...dressed out at 110#....i am very proud of my first buck and i thank all of you for your help....heres a pic...and by the way it was absolutely pouring rain!

hardertr · « **Reply #9 on:** November 16, 2006, 03:07:31 PM »

First buck EVER??? CONGRATULATIONS!!

I've heard a lot of good things about the remi-solids, but never anything much over 100 yards. Geat shot!

Now that your first buck, and all the frustration that goes with it, is gone....you can look forward to enjoying a cup of coffee, beanie-weenies, sardines, etc in your stand.

870 expressmag · « **Reply #10 on:** November 17, 2006, 02:14:19 AM »

those remington copper solids are awesome...i recovered the slug and it looks like something you would see in a gun rag from balistic gelatin...i will get a pic and post it soon!

hillbill · « **Reply #11 on:** November 17, 2006, 02:41:24 AM »

congrats on your nice buck! the first one is always the hardest. luck plays a big place sometimes in deer hunting. looks like yours is fixeing to change.when i first started hunting i experienced all the things yu mentioned but now while seemingly hunting in the same general manner have excellent results. the biggest thing ive learned is more hours in the woods means more deer seen period.

870 expressmag · « **Reply #12 on:** November 18, 2006, 11:48:11 PM »

Quote from: hillbill on November 17, 2006, 02:41:24 AM

congrats on your nice buck! the first one is always the hardest. luck plays a big place sometimes in deer hunting. looks like yours is fixeing to change.when i first started hunting i experienced all the things yu mentioned but now while seemingly hunting in the same general manner have excellent results. the biggest thing ive learned is more hours in the woods means more deer seen period.

you were right..my luck did change...never taken a buck before in my 12 yrs of hunting and now within 2 days of each other i take 2..ones a big boy....got this 10 pointer yesterday morning (nov 18th)....4 typical points on the left tine...6 non-typicals on the right....not sure how good you can see it in the picture but on the right tine down at the base it has a sticker sticking almost straight out and down..he dressed out at 175

Cheesehead · « **Reply #13 on:** November 19, 2006, 12:07:56 AM »

Good one! I am going rifle hunting in 10 minutes, day two in wisconsin, nothing yet, gotta go.

Cheese

dw06 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 19, 2006, 12:43:27 AM »

Way to go 870 two deer in two days,guess you're luck has changed.Like to see a better pic of that big boy.Our season starts in 24 hours,now I'm counting hours instead of days!!

alleyyooper · « **Reply #15 on:** November 19, 2006, 06:18:51 AM »

Nice buck. A Tip/ Stuff the tongue back in the mouth for a better picture. Is that the alley along the tracks in Imlay City, Or is it just small town Michigan?

Double click on the picture to inlarge it.

Al

870 expressmag · « **Reply #16 on:** November 19, 2006, 07:02:58 AM »

wasn't worried about the tongue..was just so happy.....it's a small town in michigan..south east.......just south of adrian....heres a better pic of the rack

alleyyooper · « **Reply #17 on:** November 19, 2006, 12:11:49 PM »

The tip was just that, no problem with me. The deer do look nicer in the rags because they stuff the tongue back in.
I can fully under stand the happness being two nice bucks in so many days.
My first buck was an eight point many years ago. I was so excited I dragged him over a quarter mile the wrong way down a logging trail, after I hit the trail . Glad I was young and dumb back then and could drag a deer around in the woods like that.
Was a funny morning for sure.

Al

870 expressmag · « **Reply #18 on:** November 19, 2006, 02:18:51 PM »

no offense was taken....i just didn;t even think about it i was so excited......and i am starting to have a problem with those hunting shows and rags anyways.....they make everyone think deer hunting should be so easy and that every deer out there is humungous..and their not......that 7 point i shot was a tad small but still...it was a 7 point and i was tickled being my first buck..and i was totally satisfied......i am elated over the 10 point and the tongue won;t be hanging out on the shoulder mount

alleyyooper · « **Reply #19 on:** November 20, 2006, 06:21:12 AM »

I know what you meen about the hunting showes. Kyle Randall tells you he is hunting one of those hunting farms. Robb Trot does say he is hunting Pollingtons ranch. What he doesn't say is it is a fenced in deer farm where they feed/bait heavly nearly year around. Isn't to far for my moms home. I suspect the place he gun hunts is the same type of place.
Hunting on a normal working farm, over grown farm land and state land is a far cry from those controlled environments with the perfect buck doe ratio.

Al

870 expressmag · « **Reply #20 on:** November 26, 2006, 04:52:39 AM »

exactly...those deer are what we call, "zoo" animals....they never worry about where there next meal comes from...around here the deer are spooky because of survival and migrate to their next meal!