• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Lessons Learned 2022

T

Tylerhorner33

Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2020
Messages
62
I know the season is still going for some but figured this was as good a time as any. What are something’s you have learned this year. What did you try and like or dislike. Anything new you felt really helped you or not? This could be related to anything (gear, scouting, setups…)

For me, this was my second in a saddle and felt way more comfortable with moving and in the tree and feeling secure. I did a lot of practice runs in the off season which made a huge difference.
I alternated between climbing with 4 muddy sticks with aiders and 1 sticking and I think I’m going to go with pure 1 stick next year. Need to change my rope I used for my stick and will probably upgrade the stand offs but otherwise felt good.
I realized I need to do more scouting in the off season and may do more in season scouting as well. This was my first year hunting big woods hill country and got close a few times but never felt like I was on them like I wanted to be.
 
I relearned several lessons that I already know. 1st. Practice DURING the season. This one probably cost me twice. At least once for sure. 2nd. When you find a good spot in post season, get it prepped. Probably cost me one buck for sure. 3rd. This one goes w/ #2 but is slightly different. Get all your post/pre season work done before the season. I had several trees that needed major trimming. I went to hunt them and the shooting lanes were mostly blocked. This one didn't cost me but I had one tree that if a big buck walked by, It would have been tough to shoot him. 4th. DON'T over hunt an area or a tree. Most of my kills are on the 1st time a tree is hunted that year. A lot of the time it's the 1st time it's EVER hunted. I put a lot of pressure on a couple trees this year. Both in the same area. Consequently deer sightings went down gradually. Both have really good access and wind so I thought I could get away w/ it. 5th. Have a back up area or property. My main property went dead for week or 10 days. The deer moved off my property. Once I realized this, I was scrambling to find new deer to hunt. 6th. Be careful of hunting previous success. The 2 tree's and area that I overhunted this year I have had several kills and several awesome encounters. It's a great rut funnel. However I kept hunting there thinking lightning was going to strike again because it was the rut. It burned me because the majority of the does were off the property. I wasted a lot of time there. 61 hours in the tree and I ate my tag. Last year, I was tagged out in 2 hours. These are lessons that I already know. Hopefully I won't repeat them next year..
 
Last edited:
1. I learned that I did not need to climb 38 feet in every tree to make a kill. All my archery kills except one were made from 1 stick high (so maybe 10 ft). Set up were quicker, quieter and if I wanted to make a quick tree change even right at prime time I could do it. Vs. if I was 30 ft high it would take me forever to get all my repelling gear out and set up. id make noise going down etc. Love the one stick high approach. Also pretty much all my rifle kills were just from the ground. I stopped bringing my climbing gear altogether during gun season. made me so much more mobile.

2. I knew this but I didn't apply it and I paid for it! Stay out of your best spots until its time!!!! daggumit!! had a 140 inch deer on camera in my best public honey hole and I knew I needed to wait until November 5th when muzzleloader opens here to go in. I went ahead and tried 2 times during mid and late October with my bow and didn't get him and stunk up the area. never got him on camera again.
 
I learned the hard way when hunting a mature buck in his core area to be set up properly not only for the shot opportunity but the multiple ways he will come into that area. Found his bedroom, found his oak tree and I hunted it. Everything went perfectly to the plan except how I thought he was going to come to this small opening to feed on this white oak.

I heard a noise from my back left shoulder and as I slowly turned around there he was standing looking at me 25 yards away. He jumped and slowly walked out of my life and was never seen again. Even though I shot a good deer two weeks later that one I will think about the rest of my life as a big learning opportunity.
 
The biggest lesson I learned is if I want to get fancy and carry my muzzleloader and bow during concurrent seasons I need to ALWAYS make the bow my priority. Even if it's 55 degrees in the middle of October. I set up in a feeding area one evening and put my bow on my week side figuring my best chance would be at a doe and I wanted all the shot angles. Only brought my bow because I saw a buck there in the morning. Low and behold not 3 minutes after being completely set up a very nice buck (for me in PA) comes strolling in and stops broadside in my wind. Let me get my bow all the way around my back, judge distance and come to full drawn but that's all he would take. If the darn bow would've been where it was supposed to be I probably would've had the extra 1/2 second to settle the pin and fire.
 
I've learned a lot of lessons this year. The most recent one was that lake levels change. I've got a camera that used to be on a path right next to the lake. Now it's on the lake and I'm not sure when I'll be able to get to it without a muddy cold slog. Whoops.
 
I learned I need to learn how to hunt open pines...I've always avoided because I hate that terrain but this season I saw and talked to others who concur what I saw...the deer are out there. I still got lots to learn

I learned that if an animal is inside of 15yds and im 20ft up (3 moves vs my normal 2 moves) I need to be patient or pay extra close attention to shooting form. I missed a buck real close cause instead of bending at the hip I just dropped my arm ....shave and a haircut he outta there

I learned that the day as a hurricane is on its way out u can expect the deer to be up and moving around....lots of action that day as Ian moved out of our area

Seasons still open so probably learn something else before it's over
 
I re-learned that even if the start of a hunt goes disastrously to stick it out and keep hunting. The one you want cam literally come in the next minute.

I also learned to continue to focus on finding the spot within the spot. For example, I picked out a spot due to the presence of several fresh rubs. I initially wanted to set in a tree that allowed me to shoot the rubs. Due to some divine intervention I ended up in a different tree - an oak tree dropping acorns. In hindsight, that oak tree is a much better spot and more likely draw than the rubs.

Re-leanred to hunt the current sign, not old memories. Also to not over hunt a spot.
 
Dcomer55 said:
I re-learned that even if the start of a hunt goes disastrously to stick it out and keep hunting. The one you want cam literally come in the next minute.

I also learned to continue to focus on finding the spot within the spot. For example, I picked out a spot due to the presence of several fresh rubs. I initially wanted to set in a tree that allowed me to shoot the rubs. Due to some divine intervention I ended up in a different tree - an oak tree dropping acorns. In hindsight, that oak tree is a much better spot and more likely draw than the rubs.

Re-leanred to hunt the current sign, not old memories. Also to not over hunt a spot.
Click to expand...
Dude did we have the same season? I swear this is to-the-T what I experienced as a bit of an epiphany this year.
 
I also realized this year that I want to try a platform. I’ve used a ring of steps the last 2 years and while I like the idea of them, I find myself fidgeting to keep my feet comfortable reguardless of what boots I’m wearing. I also found myself hunting a lot of trees that made it hard to actually rotate around the tree to shoot at my 2-4 o clock. I got an edp for Christmas to try and see if the helps with comfort and being able to pivot on the platform.
 
Tylerhorner33 said:
I also realized this year that I want to try a platform. I’ve used a ring of steps the last 2 years and while I like the idea of them, I find myself fidgeting to keep my feet comfortable reguardless of what boots I’m wearing. I also found myself hunting a lot of trees that made it hard to actually rotate around the tree to shoot at my 2-4 o clock. I got an edp for Christmas to try and see if the helps with comfort and being able to pivot on the platform.
Click to expand...
Love my trophyline mission. Wanna try an EDP for smaller trees.
 
Hold on, newbie here. Learned much.

1. Dispite my tag line, I did not practice all things before climbing. (Testoserone is dangerous)
2. An 18" cable aider is too long for me.
3. One needs lots of practice climbing down with a cable aider. This my first year saddle hunting and I did not practice climbing down with these aiders. Heck, I honestly didn't practice with the aiders till my first hunt with them (stupid, yes). So coming down in the dark I missed one. Scary moment.
4. Tehrd Hys strap and a Heroclip are a great combo. Worked great to hold my bow, quiver, and backpack.
5. The Heroclip also worked great as a way to steady my rifle and muzzleloader for the shot (killed 2 deer that way).
6. My butt is too big for the Tethrd Phantom. I felt i was forced to choose between too high that meant no butt support or too low that felt odd climbing. Went to Cruzr XC mid season and loved it.
 
Todd Brown said:
Hold on, newbie here. Learned much.

1. Dispite my tag line, I did not practice all things before climbing. (Testoserone is dangerous)
2. An 18" cable aider is too long for me.
3. One needs lots of practice climbing down with a cable aider. This my first year saddle hunting and I did not practice climbing down with these aiders. Heck, I honestly didn't practice with the aiders till my first hunt with them (stupid, yes). So coming down in the dark I missed one. Scary moment.
4. Tehrd Hys strap and a Heroclip are a great combo. Worked great to hold my bow, quiver, and backpack.
5. The Heroclip also worked great as a way to steady my rifle and muzzleloader for the shot (killed 2 deer that way).
6. My butt is too big for the Tethrd Phantom. I felt i was forced to choose between too high that meant no butt support or too low that felt odd climbing. Went to Cruzr XC mid season and loved it.
Click to expand...
Last year was my first year and only practice a bit with a 2 step aider and not with actual hunting boots on. Definitely a learning curve. Now I feel really good about it. Tip for coming down in the dark is to add a piece of reflective tape on your aider to make it more visible when your light hits it
 
Climbing down sticks with aider is high risk. Climb up vs climb down I'd guess 95% of my slip/misstep/swing out was climb down.....best info I've learned off SH is how to rappel. If u have a friction hitch and a biner already (I have a hunch u do) u already own what u need to rappel minus a longer rope.
 
I had 32 hunts this year. My goal was 30.
In my head I can quickly go from khaki clad corporate dad life to Clay Hayes type woodsy deer slayer, but with low density I have to put in more long hunts.
My after work hunts were about 1 “encounter”per 4 hunts( some of these were scouts without ever “ setting up”)
I learned there is no substitute to taking weekdays off to hunt all day ( NH public) or hunting areas with greater density ( had to postpone my out of state trips this year).
I can gripe about warm weather, early season cover, recurve distance; but the deer are always out there.
 
OK, Its possible an old dog can learn a new trick. I can't speak for other parts of the country but here in Michigan deer seem look up at the tree line before they look into the bushes on the ground (it wasn't always that way but that's a topic for another thread). I have been unequivocally busted several times over the last two years especially in the later season when the tree cover gets sparse. By busted, I mean even though I wasn't moving they obviously picked me in the tree and recognized me as a threat and vacated the area.

This year I started wearing my much lighter colored wool camo as an external layer as opposed to my previous practice of wearing my normal darker mossy oak over it. This year, while I was still noticed, the deer just gave me a passing glance and after a cursory look they passed me off as no threat.

I don't know if its because the lighter color doesn't stand out as much as the darker camo when skylined or if they are now conditioned to the threat of "Dark blobs in trees" since most everyone is using darker camo. Regardless, the lighter base camo definitely made a difference this year.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top