What will you change/improve for next year?

[tailgunner]

gotta 2tc.this year.

 

[TreeCreep]

commit to taking a deer by recurve.
I kept reaching for xbow/ bow and missed 2 of my largest bucks ever , so my focus is dumbed back down to get close / consistently to any deer with a recurve.
(Min of 20 hunts by recurve at which point I reserve the right to go back to full shock and awe campaign)

presets - efficient for short hunts, just have to connect dots better from winter scouting. I was spotty on early season deer count by targeting heavy trafficked winter trails/ flow areas.

saddle hunter.com has led me to ground hunting. Adding a diy Ghillie and couple ground seats to my gear totes.

I’m trying to minimize my gear list, but plan to pick up 1 -2 two used hang ons for late season presets, ground gear, and possibly trade a rifle for a pistol carbine/ or 20g slug gun that I can use close to home and I’ll covered for my daughters should they start to show more interest. ( wink)

Hope to add at least one piece of private to rotate to and double my spots near home from to around 12.

I’m torn on better utilizing cams vs just scout in real time on public.

out of state trip to PA again, but full week this year.

take more time off in late season. It was too warm during late bow / muzzleloader. Saw more deer during firearm this year by moving around


plan to use 2 sticks w aider more often than one stick. Unless 2TC become a non sweaty/ quiet option

Sell some surfboards.

 

[DRR324]

Adding another set of sticks, platform and ring of steps to my arsenal. Easier to have a few presets to choose from on my out of state trip instead setting up and taking down every morning or evening. More scouting on my home ground...

 

[elk yinzer]

I'm jumping into SRT with presets, maybe. I don't know why. I have my 3 stick system dialed in and my weight savings is immaterial. Just gives me something shiny and new to fiddle with and spend money on I guess. And I guess I'm not immune to the cool tree ninja factor. Sigh.

Hope to do a lot of scouting to be efficient. I expect my hunting time next fall to be significantly cut back due to building up my business and kid #3 arriving.

Tactics wise, I went full into the mobile-all-the-time, find fresh sign ethos the past several years and I'm starting to have doubts about my strategy. Hunting these low density mountain deer, I am starting to think sometimes I am better off picking a great spot and sitting the heck out of it until the buck I want passes through. Or maybe it was just my stupid cameras playing with me. It was like whack a mole this year, I would hunt a spot one day and not see anything, boom next day have a shooter walk by a camera there. That happened like 3 times and I didn't have a shot at a decent buck this year so it was a pretty frustrating season. It's just like they don't really have daily patterns here it's more like weekly or monthly it seems, you gotta wait them out on a different timescale before one passes through. Two seasons in a row now I just haven't really caught up with the deer until the last week of the season and just ran out of time. More scouting earlier too at the cost of time in the tree is something I need to embrace.

 

[Patriot]

I’m getting a hunt in with you next year. Just a meet at the trailhead deal, but my offer stands to hang in the same tree with go pros and share snacks.

LMFAO!!!!!
Next year I’m going to chill out and have fun and hunt with you guys. Also having my son in the woods is going to completely change my goals.

But I think my approach will be to legit try and find 20 or more high confidence beast type sets figured out. Then I will take off the first week of the season and run through the circuit and by then I should have my buck. But if I don’t oh well, I’ll just hunt and have fun the next few weeks.

THEN do the same thing in Oct when mass opens, take a few days off and execute my high probability ambush sits. Then if I strike out again have fun the next few weeks.

THEN go nuts in Nov and hunt every morning.

if at the end of all that I don’t have a respectable buck oh well, so long as I have a plan and execute the plan and try hard I am good. That’s how I feel about this year. I had a plan I tried hard, I had chances. I feel good about the year.

 

[Anobody]

I’m only working on me. My WW and cheap sticks will climb the tree the FX I bought will kill a deer. I’m sharpening my mental and physical edge. I’ve spent to much time and money and energy worried about camo gadgets and gear when hardly any of it matters. So I’m focusing on what really make the difference

 

[Westdesign03]

Wait until you have it on your equipment in the tree and it is rolling up and around like no ones business, then the sticky mess starts to transfer to your ropes, etc.

Done with it, it's junk.

Did you clean the surface of whatever gear you stealth stripped first with denatured alcohol? If not, and amount of dust dirt grease or oil can mess up the adhesion and could explain why it came up on you like that. Just an idea.


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[TommyDee]

I'm jumping into SRT with presets, maybe. I don't know why. I have my 3 stick system dialed in and my weight savings is immaterial. Just gives me something shiny and new to fiddle with and spend money on I guess. And I guess I'm not immune to the cool tree ninja factor. Sigh.

Hope to do a lot of scouting to be efficient. I expect my hunting time next fall to be significantly cut back due to building up my business and kid #3 arriving.

Tactics wise, I went full into the mobile-all-the-time, find fresh sign ethos the past several years and I'm starting to have doubts about my strategy. Hunting these low density mountain deer, I am starting to think sometimes I am better off picking a great spot and sitting the heck out of it until the buck I want passes through. Or maybe it was just my stupid cameras playing with me. It was like whack a mole this year, I would hunt a spot one day and not see anything, boom next day have a shooter walk by a camera there. That happened like 3 times and I didn't have a shot at a decent buck this year so it was a pretty frustrating season. It's just like they don't really have daily patterns here it's more like weekly or monthly it seems, you gotta wait them out on a different timescale before one passes through. Two seasons in a row now I just haven't really caught up with the deer until the last week of the season and just ran out of time. More scouting earlier too at the cost of time in the tree is something I need to embrace.

I used to rifle hunt Some west central Pa grounds north of I 80 as a kid with my dad and grandpa chasing those low density mountain deer. It was tough unless you got lucky opening day, (we didnt scout much) and we didn’t have enough healthy guys to push those vast hollows like they used to back in the day. Really miss those woods.

I’m not good enough of a bow hunter yet to do those vast grounds justice, maybe in a few years when kids are out of the house, and if then, I’d probably put cell cams out in October, and sit a hot hollow all day during rut.


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[MJH]

I’m going to pre drilling a handful of locations to use bolts. Lugging around sticks gets old. I’ll still have to use them on public however.

Keep in mind that if you drill bolts in the summer, you will need to re-drill those holes again comes hunting season (although it will be easy) as they will partially fill in (depending on the type of tree). All that means to me is that I will prep stands in the winter and spring, but won't bother drilling until Aug.

 

[MJH]

Tactics wise, I went full into the mobile-all-the-time, find fresh sign ethos the past several years and I'm starting to have doubts about my strategy. Hunting these low density mountain deer, I am starting to think sometimes I am better off picking a great spot and sitting the heck out of it until the buck I want passes through. Or maybe it was just my stupid cameras playing with me. It was like whack a mole this year, I would hunt a spot one day and not see anything, boom next day have a shooter walk by a camera there. That happened like 3 times and I didn't have a shot at a decent buck this year so it was a pretty frustrating season. It's just like they don't really have daily patterns here it's more like weekly or monthly it seems, you gotta wait them out on a different timescale before one passes through. Two seasons in a row now I just haven't really caught up with the deer until the last week of the season and just ran out of time. More scouting earlier too at the cost of time in the tree is something I need to embrace.

This is an impossible paradox. I face the same exact issue in the big woods hunting I do up north. I have tried both approaches. If you get this figured out, please let me know...

 

[iamcorey]

Probably nothing other than the scope on my ML and maybe a new on for the HC mini. Both are el cheapos.

Lots of “wants” and “need to”, but with multiple kids in college, I’ll have to prioritize.


Getting in shape is always on the list but never gets done. I’m usually much improved at the early DEC after several trips to the woods.

 

[elk yinzer]

This is an impossible paradox. I face the same exact issue in the big woods hunting I do up north. I have tried both approaches. If you get this figured out, please let me know...

Yeah, it's probably a blend is best, like a rotation of several really good spots and just exploring new areas, which I am prone to do, only occassionally. I think my biggest issue is trying to substitute the Scouting with Stand on Back for actual scouting, and it's just not the same league at gathering intel, at least for me. I end up covering way way less ground and once I am into an area I feel committed and end up sitting on good but not great sign. Part of that is a fear of spooking deer, like once I get into an area I might as well hunt it, but I'm starting to get over that more.

 

[tailgunner]

This is an impossible paradox. I face the same exact issue in the big woods hunting I do up north. I have tried both approaches. If you get this figured out, please let me know...

this is blacktail hunting in a nutshell rite there.not only do they change food sourcess,spots, daily but they use a different trail to each one as a religion.only have a 3 week season to catch up to them.and still havnt got out infront of a targetted mature buck.in time.seems imposible some times.they are on there way to bed as you are walking in.and it seems imposible to get near there bedding when they are in it.steep bluff on one side heavy loud brush over the topside with the wind coming through it.and he can see below where the thermals settle.and if i know hes there .i dont know wich trail he will leave on. or even how he got out of there.i always find myself looking at a bed thinking there is no way to get infront of this bugger

 

[DOMMA]

After 2 years of hunting w/ 4 sticks and a saddle I ordered all the 1-stick gear. Anxious to figure this out before the start of the season.

Need to find a new lease, lost mine after 11 years, the land owner sold the property and three new houses replace my leased hunting property. If you live in MD and need someone to fill a land lease, please let me know.

 

[ketch22]

Although season isn’t done, I’m happy with my saddle and ROS. To improve packability I chopped my Novix sticks down, added rope mods, and picked up a knaider/swaider. If those don’t work to my liking I’ll throw wire aiders on and call it a day.

 

[MattMan81]

I kinda said screw it this year with my scent control. I noticed. Not that I considered my self invisible before. But I felt I got a way with more in years before.
Gonna try scrubbing a little weight off my arrows. Drop the feathers and go back to vanes.
Might try regular step on top of my one stick. Then use a platform.

 

[Bowtie747]

I kinda said screw it this year with my scent control. I noticed. Not that I considered my self invisible before. But I felt I got a way with more in years before.
Gonna try scrubbing a little weight off my arrows. Drop the feathers and go back to vanes.
Might try regular step on top of my one stick. Then use a platform.

I started this season with ditching everything but scent free deodorant and spraying my boots. 90% of the time I forgot to spray my boots. I didn’t notice getting busted anymore than normal. I have a slight suspicion that deer can smell scent free sprays and what not. Stick your nose in a bottle and I smell it, why couldn’t a deer? Idk maybe I’m crazy. Hunt the wind and hunt thats about it in my opinion

 

[ketch22]

I started this season with ditching everything but scent free deodorant and spraying my boots. 90% of the time I forgot to spray my boots. I didn’t notice getting busted anymore than normal. I have a slight suspicion that deer can smell scent free sprays and what not. Stick your nose in a bottle and I smell it, why couldn’t a deer? Idk maybe I’m crazy. Hunt the wind and hunt thats about it in my opinion

Agreed, I’ve been using milkweed this year and anytime I’ve gotten busted it was because the deer was in the exact spot my milkweed was going.

I had a spike dead to rights, not legal in PA, but he acted like he hit a wall as soon as he got to where my milkweed was flying.

 

[Old squirrel]

Going to drop another 40 lbs. Want to try 2t climbing

 

[BigB]

Work on JRB climbing method and trying DRT. Hopefully that works out and do presets.