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Need help filling a tag......

Blackmamba

Blackmamba

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2019
Messages
221
Alright so I’m new to hunting this season. Talked about wanting to go long enough, but never knew how. No one ever taught me and no one in my family hunts that I know of. I’ve done all i know to do. Walk in hr and a half before sunrise. Bumped deer. Walked in 2 hrs early set up in what I thought was a good spot had not one but 2 hunters walk right under me. I set up sit for hrs. Get down with out seeing anything. Walk one. Exactly ONE ridge over less than 70 yards bump deer. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: Hike in 3 miles. As quiet as a navy seal. Stoping every couple feet listening.....smelling..... checking coordinates and waypoints.......scale a tree as quiet as spider man and sit on my perfect little perch. And I only see other hunters, and squirrels that sound like state record booners crushing the earth with every step.
I’ve seen one doe from the saddle, but another hunter walking out spooked her off. I never get mad because all i have to hunt is public land. Highly pressured might i add. I just shrug and say well i guess I’m doing something kind of right. This day and age everyone studies YouTube and I’m impressed that guys are actually applying these techniques in the field. So with all that long wind. I need some help. I really don’t know what I’m doing and time is to precious to throw away. Are there any good books you guys recommend? Good scouting field trips? Trying to get info if Dan Infault is doing one for 2020. I just need to learn more about what I’m doing. I have found a PLETHORA of sign every where I go and set up near it. Just no success or even much sighting yet. Any help would be appreciated.
 
When i was younger i bumped alot of deer. I didnt start to develop as a hunter until i started asking myself why those deer are there at that time and where did they come from. If you are seeing deer and bumping deer you can kill deer. Follow tracks and trails. Look for feeding areas bedding areas and keep a log of what time you bump deer. If you see deer feeding in a spot at 4pm chances are they will be through that area again around the same time. As far as public pressure i feel your pain. This year i started going to spots people walk right past. Spot you would think are ridiculous. I killed a nice buck on public 150 yards off a main road 200 yards from the parking lot. Keep at it and good luck.
 
Keep at it. As far as books I would recommend going to the library to check and see what they have available. I know my local public library had quite a few. If you haven't seen them already check out the hunting public on you tube and of course the hunting beast. Walk around the woods as much as possible, now, during the season. I know it goes against the grain. Dont want to bump deer or bust up someone elses hunt but you have to learn what deer sign to look for and you won't until you spend time walking around seeing it. The more you see the more you'll recognize good sign when it's in front of you.
 
ThebigD said:
When i was younger i bumped alot of deer. I didnt start to develop as a hunter until i started asking myself why those deer are there at that time and where did they come from. If you are seeing deer and bumping deer you can kill deer. Follow tracks and trails. Look for feeding areas bedding areas and keep a log of what time you bump deer. If you see deer feeding in a spot at 4pm chances are they will be through that area again around the same time. As far as public pressure i feel your pain. This year i started going to spots people walk right past. Spot you would think are ridiculous. I killed a nice buck on public 150 yards off a main road 200 yards from the parking lot. Keep at it and good luck.
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I think an old school notebook and notes will be something to keep handy. For years down the road and something I can give my son.
 
Sziggy2.0 said:
Keep at it. As far as books I would recommend going to the library to check and see what they have available. I know my local public library had quite a few. If you haven't seen them already check out the hunting public on you tube and of course the hunting beast. Walk around the woods as much as possible, now, during the season. I know it goes against the grain. Dont want to bump deer or bust up someone elses hunt but you have to learn what deer sign to look for and you won't until you spend time walking around seeing it. The more you see the more you'll recognize good sign when it's in front of you.
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I watch hunting public a good bit. I just have trouble applying what I’m seeing. I hate walking through the woods so much now scouting, but I don’t have a choice. Walking and asking why is this here I’ve done that a bunch lol. That tiny voice isn’t answering back.
 
I did not fill a tag last year. First time that happened. I have filled my tag this year.
Really the best advice is to enjoy the process

As far as tactics. Beast tactics or John E or anyone else?

The best ideas are coming from the hunting Public on utube . Why?
Multiple guys, multiple locations, multiple methods, and it is all filmed. And they even fail. But they sure do have fun


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
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All these guys are pointing you toward advanced tactics. My advice is this, shoot the first deer you can. Find a spot where some does are eating &/or bedding down, set up a stand downwind, and kill one of them. Take that success, break it down and use some of those lessons moving forward. Don't forget this: archery hunting is hard. You have to have a LOT go right to be successful. Deer are in the business of survival every second of every day.

BTW, just becaused you bumped deer off a spot doesn't mean that they, or other deer, won't be back, sometimes relatively soon.
 
You're doing good, just hang in there. I've let maybe 20 deer walk this year but they all were younger deer, big does but with yearlings in tow, or not legal bucks. I'm public land bow only and bucks must have 4pts on one side or 12in spread. The only legal bucks or big single does just have not presented a shot yet. I've sat in a climber in one area, continue to see deer behind me 70 yrds, move to that area and where I was originally is now the new hang out. Sometimes you don't need to be far back on public land, 50-75 yrds will be enough most places. I hunt like you, I'm set up and hour before sunrise, at least, and do not leave until dark. The 2 times I decided to move, deer walked all over the old site, 1 time I moved my gear to the new tree, sat everything down, went back for the climber and an doe and 9pt walked within 20yrds of me with my bow setting at the new location....you can't get dishearted. Hang in there and luck will prevail at some point, at least that's what I keep telling myself..
 
Keep at it. I'm struggling this year trying new things and I've been hunting for years. There will be those years. As said before, if you're seeing them you can hunt them.
 
Blackmamba said:
Alright so I’m new to hunting this season. Talked about wanting to go long enough, but never knew how. No one ever taught me and no one in my family hunts that I know of. I’ve done all i know to do. Walk in hr and a half before sunrise. Bumped deer. Walked in 2 hrs early set up in what I thought was a good spot had not one but 2 hunters walk right under me. I set up sit for hrs. Get down with out seeing anything. Walk one. Exactly ONE ridge over less than 70 yards bump deer. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: Hike in 3 miles. As quiet as a navy seal. Stoping every couple feet listening.....smelling..... checking coordinates and waypoints.......scale a tree as quiet as spider man and sit on my perfect little perch. And I only see other hunters, and squirrels that sound like state record booners crushing the earth with every step.
I’ve seen one doe from the saddle, but another hunter walking out spooked her off. I never get mad because all i have to hunt is public land. Highly pressured might i add. I just shrug and say well i guess I’m doing something kind of right. This day and age everyone studies YouTube and I’m impressed that guys are actually applying these techniques in the field. So with all that long wind. I need some help. I really don’t know what I’m doing and time is to precious to throw away. Are there any good books you guys recommend? Good scouting field trips? Trying to get info if Dan Infault is doing one for 2020. I just need to learn more about what I’m doing. I have found a PLETHORA of sign every where I go and set up near it. Just no success or even much sighting yet. Any help would be appreciated.
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Where do you live? You just looking to kill any deer?

Like others have said, there's usually no need to go miles back, I've had tons of deer in range within 200yrds of the road on Michigan public land.

Infalt, Eberhart, and The Hunting Public are great to watch for targeting bucks. Depending on the time of year, the strategies would be different for does.
 
It took me 7 years of hunting before I filled my first tag. Ha the first 3 or 4 years I never even saw a deer even though I knew they were there. My first filled tag was on the second day of Archery season. The only bummer was that year we were limited to on tag so I was done. It was one of those bitter sweet moments.

I think you are already on track with being mobile. Like already stated pay attention to where you bump deer keep a mental not and go back before a rain comes in and see if you can see trails that they might be using and mark those spots. I like to scout before big rain falls come in because me scent will be washed away quickly. I also like to go in different directions of other hunters. You can tell where people like to sit and to be honest that is the last place I will. Not because I think I am a better hunter but because I don't know what they have left behind for the deer to smell. If its thick I am doing in because most hunter wont.

I personally am glad that I went years with out filling a tag because it kept me on the quest. Since I have filled a tag all but one year in the last 7. The year I didn't we had a new born in September and moved in September also so my woods time was not there. Those drought years are what keep me going.
 
I’ve been at it the last couple years 100% public and I know the struggle you’re in. Find great sign, followed by other hunters.

My focus this year has been accessing areas I’ve avoided in the past. I’ve really focused on swamps since that’s what my area has. Timber=hunters. Sign in the timber could be good for the rut, but if I sit that sign, I’m likely going to have guys walking in on me. And that’s a gamble I can’t take with my limited time.

Learning those areas has been a challenge, but I’ve had a lot of fun doing it. Feel like I’m reaching areas that haven’t had anyone around in it for a long time which I find to be a fun aspect. And in those areas, I’ve found better deer sign than what I thought was good in the past.
 
I started to have the realization last season that I may like a given spot, but why would a deer like it? That has changed my entire approach. Outside of areas where I have access to hunt food plots, I hunt fresh sign. That change led me to my first archery kill earlier this year.
 
Weldabeast said:
Try to focus less on the kill and remember your supposed to be having fun..... Knowledge to help you kill deer only comes with experience and experience= lots of ''waisted'' time
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I forget this so much. This is important to have fun. It will be so much more rewarding. The same applies I guess when I started fishing tournaments. 11 years later it’s second nature where to look for bass. I’m the want it to happen right now kind of guy lol.
 
Ontariofarmer said:
I did not fill a tag last year. First time that happened. I have filled my tag this year.
Really the best advice is to enjoy the process

As far as tactics. Beast tactics or John E or anyone else?

The best ideas are coming from the hunting Public on utube . Why?
Multiple guys, multiple locations, multiple methods, and it is all filmed. And they even fail. But they sure do have fun


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...
You are right. It’s important to remember with that we don’t always see their failures or trial and errors. Or the hours/ days they sit not seeing anything or before one walks in.
 
huntin_addict said:
All these guys are pointing you toward advanced tactics. My advice is this, shoot the first deer you can. Find a spot where some does are eating &/or bedding down, set up a stand downwind, and kill one of them. Take that success, break it down and use some of those lessons moving forward. Don't forget this: archery hunting is hard. You have to have a LOT go right to be successful. Deer are in the business of survival every second of every day.

BTW, just becaused you bumped deer off a spot doesn't mean that they, or other deer, won't be back, sometimes relatively soon.
Click to expand...
I like this. Thanks man. I assumed when you bump deer especially on heavy pressured public you basically ruined that spot for the year and they won’t come back.
 
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