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2021 Lessons Learned

MNFarmHunter

MNFarmHunter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2021
Messages
1,898
Location
Minnesota
Thought I'd start a thread about lessons learned from this year...and I have plenty. We'll see if this thread takes off or withers on the vine but my thinking is based on climbing methods, setups, hunting methods and post-harvest.

Climbing methods: Overall, SRT worked very well this season and while I did think about 2TC a few times, I was able to SRT that or a neighboring tree. Changed for next year will be to get a single piece of rope probably around 90'. That'll allow me to base or canopy anchor without needed to carry an extra section of rope. This'll free up room in my pack. May also add a ROS to my platform so I can move around the tree without having to put so much pressure on the platform. Never had it kick out but is did make for some odd angles and leg placement.

Setup: I need to get deeper in the woods. Coming from strictly gun hunting in fixed positions, I adapted to archery but now enough. I need to get deeper in the woods where they most often are. I did get busted a few times but never to the point of them running away. If anything, it was more one of curiosity and confusion than fear.

Hunting methods: Had I not screwed up my tags this year, I would have probably stuck to arrows but fully intend to do that next year. Where I hunt and if getting deep in the woods, my max range would never exceed 50 yards. I may add a crossbow for gun (shotgun) season but I enjoyed the close encounters that saddle hunting and archery brought me.

Post-harvest: Found out the kids like venison steaks so more of my processing went to those cuts. In part years, I also bagged my grind pile in 5# chunks and worked with that. My most recent deer however was immediate ground and bagged in 1# "sausage rolls". This'll allow me greater flexibility with food options.

Odds-n-ends: I pack too much stuff and need to pare that down. I could easily drop a 1/3 of what I pack and still have more than I would ever use.
 
On public, Dont set up 20 yards the main path to get into the place unless you want people to walk passed you. Yes go deep into the woods.

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Lessons learned from Twin Cities Metro Area:

Scouting: start scouting early on, better off doing it February or March if there is fresh snow to identify tracks and beds easier. When scouting don’t rush and pay attention to the topography of the woods to identify bedding areas and areas more likely to hold bucks in lock down with a doe. Like [mention]MNFarmHunter [/mention]said go deeper when scouting to hunt, look for fresh sign and feces along travel corridors.

Climbing: check tree for widow makers prior to starting the climb. Ensure you’re positioning your sticks so when you reach the height for your platform you’re able to easily get to the angle you want to conceal yourself using the tree.

Gear: identify a pack thats able to accommodate thicker and heavier winter clothing for dramatic weather changes. The Sitka Tool Belt is the best pack for bringing in sticks and platform but also limiting me to exactly what gear I bring so I don’t over pack. Painting your platform is useless and a waste of energy. When cutting LoneWolf sticks from their original length use a grinder and not a saws all. Dremel is an amazing tool for arrow building and getting inserts cut to the correct weight. Buy new stand-offs for modded sticks because the stock LW ones do not bite the tree at all.

Saddle: just made the change to an Aero Hunter Flex and I think it’s amazing.

Deer processing: buy your own grinder and stuffer and it will pay for itself in the long run. Buy extra game cleaning kits to accommodate your expectations for the season. Buy better coolers for the hunting trip to Missouri, lifetime coolers work however they lack a week long ability to hold ice like RTIC and Yeti coolers can.

Bow: always have a back up bow on hand for the season. Also have extra hard wear for you sights and rests in the event of a catastrophic issue. Reasons for this was while scouting in Missouri the first day of the trip. I was hiking through heavy bush and the bolts on the front of my HHA Tetra came lose and one completely fell out leaving my scope and windage dangling by one threat. Lucky my buddy brought two bows and both had the same sight so I took his scope housing and re-sighted in at camp.


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Weldabeast said:
Don't make babies in February/March....it's fun at the time but messes up ur next year's hunting season....
Click to expand...

So my season is done for same blessing. FINAL kid is coming out end of Dec, and my wife is more hardcore into Thanksgiving and Christmas then I am into hunting/archery, no joke. Weekends for her during the holiday is decorations until the AM and she spend more time in a ladder hanging lights then l do in a tree! But with her in a delicate state, I'm picking up the slack while she bosses me from the ground. So we agreed that I got 4 days of hard hunting last week, then l need to focus on the most important thing. I'm late to the game at my late 30s but I still have many more years!

First I want to shout out to @Bigterp and @PEEJAY. They really help me out so much more then they realized and I learn more from them than I could of asked for. Outstanding guys here. Everyone else in the forum been real decent too. Glad to be here and again, this is my sanctuary.

My season ended successfully despite the fact that l did not get anything. I got an encounter with a few doe too far and one with a buck under 20 yards. The learning experience was so much more valuable and real world encounters were a blessing. But to my fellow team members, sorry I'm dead weight this year, carry me battle buddies!!

Lessons:

1 - The adrenaline rush is REAL. When the buck came up behind me at 15 yards, my hand started shaking uncontrollably and my heart was beating so fast. I panicked, it was that simple. I can shoot a 60lbs bow setup all day long, but with the adrenaline, I felt like l was trying to draw 80lbs. I had no strength, l panicked and death gripped my release and it fired to the ground. I'm going to a 50lbs setup next year.

2 - Until I'm more experience, I'm sticking to index release. I let the peer pressure (all in my head) got to me and tried to use a target thumb release for hunting. Been practicing with it for months trying to be the best archer I can be, but death gripped it when the moment came and it went off on me. When blood is rushing to your head, all form and structure went out the window, there was nothing wrong with the release. I'm accurate with my index release up to 50 yards, I don't need more then 35 yards bow hunting whitetail. Trying to be at the level of guys who been hunting for decades is not something l should focus on right now. Learn my level.

3 - Don't forget to PRACTICE real situation in the tree you are going to hunt in. Take the time to make sure you are properly shot from that tree.

4 - One stick and SRT is for me and I don't see changing. I hunted the same general area the whole time, I would one stick up, hunt, look at the where the deer are coming from. On my lunch break, I would go to those locations and one stick up the tree to preset paracord. The next day I can be up in any of those trees and setup within a few minute and really quiet.

5 - SCOUTING IS EVERYTHING.

6 - I dont need so much crap or big packs, everything that I really need I can fit in a small CamelBak size pack. Wish I got the Eberlestock Dagger when it was $50.

7 - Be close to hiking trails in the morning or late evening, but be ready to be frustrated by people once it is peak hiking hours. I was setup before lights and can clearly see deer movements being push to me as more people appears on trails. So by 10 if you have not seen anything, it might be time to go deeper away from trails, but you have to be more careful because the deer are more cautious compared to when they EXPECT human present.

8 - EXCUSSIVELY public land bow hunting until otherwise. The rush and feeling when that 8pts got within 15 yards of me was an amazing feeling that I never got shooting a doe at 50 yards while it was under a feeder. Not saying there is anything wrong with that. I'm still subscripting to filling the freezer first in the early season, but once the rut is here, the ladies are safe from me no matter what.

Next season plans:

Try setting trail cams and licking branches on public.

Become a ROSs hoarder during the summer and setup preset with ROS.

--------------------
Good luck to everyone else the rest of the season! GOD BLESS!
 
TL16 said:
Wear your wrist release while walking into the woods to your stand, cause you never know. Ask me how I know.
Click to expand...

This sorta happened to me my first year elk hunting. I had my bow on my pack walking back to camp with one of my hunting buddies, kind of doing some cow calling here and there. Had not heard a bugle all morning, then a 5x5 came sneaking down to the trail at 25 yards. I'm stuck there with my bow on my pack like an idiot. I threw away my bow holder after that.
 
Check EVERY outlet upstream of the one you plug the freezer into, in case one of them is GFCI.

if you make a sub par shot and decide to wait overnight, and might call a dog, call the dog that night, not the next day after you’ve made up your mind. Don’t wait.

if you think your deer might go to water with a gut shot, search 300 yards of creek bank, not 250.

if you have exposed plumping pvc at the camper site you’re at, and you leave, keep all of it with a proper fall, and run 20-30 gallons of fresh water through before you leave.

if you’re hooking up to exposed plumbing pvc, and the pipe doesn’t have the proper fall, and typical inconsiderate people were there before you, be very careful with handling the pipe and connections while modifying to connect to your setup.
 
My Lesson learned yesterday:

Dont forget your TP when you go into the woods. 7:15am in the stand and "it" hit me , yes "nature" one of the ones that you gotta get down now, well I looked in my bag and forgot the TP, I get down and the buck ive been hunting comes out at 10 yards, right in front of me.

I blame this on forgetting TP, and not checking my surroundings.

As forest Gump says Sh** Happens.
 
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