GOARMY
New Member
Lower my standards.
plant lots of food.
work on timber.
Buy a gold sluce box and look for gold in my creeks.
continue the conversation with the state about natural gas below my farm.
get a new hi def video camera.
buy some coyote traps.
catch a coyote in above traps.
take thousands of trail camera pics.
wake up another day and drink coffee.
plant lots of food.
work on timber.
Buy a gold sluce box and look for gold in my creeks.
continue the conversation with the state about natural gas below my farm.
get a new hi def video camera.
buy some coyote traps.
catch a coyote in above traps.
take thousands of trail camera pics.
wake up another day and drink coffee.
DGorman
Active Member
I'm going to run my cameras in areas that don't require as much intrusion as I did this year. I'll also have to spend more time scouting a property I don't hunt as much as I'm betting the non resident guys that hunt my main property will draw this year. We always let them have the run of the place while they're here the first week in November so I'll need to have my bases covered in other areas.
jkratz5
Well-Known Member
I use to be afraid to run cams in areas where I knew big deer. This year I decided I was going to make a change and hang cams there. Didn't check them a lot but man did it pay off. Ran most of these cams a bit farther off of main travel areas so the deer weren't looking right at them and the information they provided was invaluable.
Late season is good and may get a week or at least half week of vacation from me next year with sightings being mainly evenings.
I will break my rut hunting into 1 week from about the 5-12 and then another week later in month 20-27 or somewhere in there. Like others have stated, big boys seem to really start showing up during daylight come late Nov.
My best hunts were in or around heavy thickets. These are tough to access and often times I wouldn't go in until 8:00 or later this year so that I could go in as undetected as possible and quiet. Man I had some awesome hunts over these areas this year.
Food, food, food. I know we all know this is the truth but I had the late food source that was being hit by all the deer in the area on one farm and it made me really pay attention and I will introduce more late food on all the farms I can.
Listen to the guys on here and send them some messages privately. The guys on here don't always want to post in the main forums but they are always willing to answer emails and PMs. Talk to the guys on here, ask them where their sightings have been and movement hours privately. Keep gathering as much info as you can, I know that we all have our own ways of hunting but I bet we all could learn a lot if we continue to ask the right questions and take advantage of some of the guys on here that have been doing this for 20, 30+ years
Late season is good and may get a week or at least half week of vacation from me next year with sightings being mainly evenings.
I will break my rut hunting into 1 week from about the 5-12 and then another week later in month 20-27 or somewhere in there. Like others have stated, big boys seem to really start showing up during daylight come late Nov.
My best hunts were in or around heavy thickets. These are tough to access and often times I wouldn't go in until 8:00 or later this year so that I could go in as undetected as possible and quiet. Man I had some awesome hunts over these areas this year.
Food, food, food. I know we all know this is the truth but I had the late food source that was being hit by all the deer in the area on one farm and it made me really pay attention and I will introduce more late food on all the farms I can.
Listen to the guys on here and send them some messages privately. The guys on here don't always want to post in the main forums but they are always willing to answer emails and PMs. Talk to the guys on here, ask them where their sightings have been and movement hours privately. Keep gathering as much info as you can, I know that we all have our own ways of hunting but I bet we all could learn a lot if we continue to ask the right questions and take advantage of some of the guys on here that have been doing this for 20, 30+ years
hoosierhunter
Active Member
I learned to aim low on deer over 30 yards away. The other thing is not to tinker when something is working right. I tried expandable broad heads this year instead of shooting my Muzzys. I second guessed more shots this year and hit nearly every deer back for fear of a shoulder hit. Back to Muzzys and shoulder busting next year!
TheMadCatter
Well-Known Member
2013, lessons learned...
1. Don't take for granted the property you have permission on because that can change in a split second.
2. Quit harvesting does as much because doe numbers ARE down.
3. Be prepared for a misshap and deal and don't be nervous and be prepared anything.
4. Don't try to get the deer aggressive because they're more spooky and run farther with the adrenalin.
5. Don't make stupid shots over what you can shoot.
Things I'm going to improve/work on...
1. My bow range.
2. Learning more about food plots (The Co-op is actually paying for it all)
3. Learn more about deer movement (even more than what I did this year)
4. Learn better shot placement from a stand.
I was lucky enough to only kill mature deer this year and that was one of my goals. However, one of my other goals was to not injure a deer and I injured the same buck twice because I don't have good shot placement from a stand, which I'm going to work on. My father has graciously donated $1,000 to me from my work this year and like I said the co-op is paying for all of my foodplots expense. I've got many up and coming bucks to watch, and poachers to watch out for. Another thing is, I'm no longer going to hunt in a group. I find hunting by myself more fun, I wish I could go late Muzzleloader but my parents won't let me buy a Muzzleloader...so therefore I'm stuck with shotgun. I've learned a lot this year and next year I'm waiting for a trophy.
Another thing I might be doing is going to Montana for a DYI Mule Deer/Elk hunt on private land. My shed season and swimming are really interfering with each other and I won't have much time this year to look. Plus, it doesn't help my relays are top in the state so I have to focus on that. Then things switch to track and once track starts I've got to kick it into high gear.
I want to thank all the guys on the forum for the kind words and some...not so kind words which I still needed to hear. I've got a lot more hunting years left and I'm learning. I'll start getting a lot of stuff done this summer.
1. Don't take for granted the property you have permission on because that can change in a split second.
2. Quit harvesting does as much because doe numbers ARE down.
3. Be prepared for a misshap and deal and don't be nervous and be prepared anything.
4. Don't try to get the deer aggressive because they're more spooky and run farther with the adrenalin.
5. Don't make stupid shots over what you can shoot.
Things I'm going to improve/work on...
1. My bow range.
2. Learning more about food plots (The Co-op is actually paying for it all)
3. Learn more about deer movement (even more than what I did this year)
4. Learn better shot placement from a stand.
I was lucky enough to only kill mature deer this year and that was one of my goals. However, one of my other goals was to not injure a deer and I injured the same buck twice because I don't have good shot placement from a stand, which I'm going to work on. My father has graciously donated $1,000 to me from my work this year and like I said the co-op is paying for all of my foodplots expense. I've got many up and coming bucks to watch, and poachers to watch out for. Another thing is, I'm no longer going to hunt in a group. I find hunting by myself more fun, I wish I could go late Muzzleloader but my parents won't let me buy a Muzzleloader...so therefore I'm stuck with shotgun. I've learned a lot this year and next year I'm waiting for a trophy.
Another thing I might be doing is going to Montana for a DYI Mule Deer/Elk hunt on private land. My shed season and swimming are really interfering with each other and I won't have much time this year to look. Plus, it doesn't help my relays are top in the state so I have to focus on that. Then things switch to track and once track starts I've got to kick it into high gear.
I want to thank all the guys on the forum for the kind words and some...not so kind words which I still needed to hear. I've got a lot more hunting years left and I'm learning. I'll start getting a lot of stuff done this summer.
CurtisWalker
Well-Known Member
You can use your bow during Late Muzzleloader. I don't know if you'd want to do that but just an idea. I know we didn't get of on the right foot but I wish you luck in your 2014 season.
spltbrow
Member
Spend less time hunting to avoid pressuring the deer so much and when I do hunt make those days count. I started this this last year and it worked out well just need to fine tune it a little more.
Hunt more during mid day. I was very surprised at the deer movement during that time this last season.
Wait for the perfect wind! On the perfect day! In the perfect spot!
Plant beans for late season.
Hunt more during mid day. I was very surprised at the deer movement during that time this last season.
Wait for the perfect wind! On the perfect day! In the perfect spot!
Plant beans for late season.
NWBuck
PMA Member
3 easy lessons for me...
1. Spend at least as much time hunting with my kids next year as this year...more if their schedules permit.
2. Be willing and anxious to sacrifice a hunt for me in exchange for a hunt with them.
3. When in doubt, refer to rules 1 and 2 above. They'll be gone soon, and I plan to savor every minute with them that I can...
Maybe it's my age and/or life stage, but the size of the buck just doesn't matter near as much to me as it did a number of years ago. Oh sure, my family, friends and I would all love to take a big buck, but its' importance relative to spending quality time with these folks has fallen waaaay down the totem pole in my view. Maybe that makes me weird and unusual, but if so, so be it. Good luck to all in 2014!!
NWBuck
1. Spend at least as much time hunting with my kids next year as this year...more if their schedules permit.
2. Be willing and anxious to sacrifice a hunt for me in exchange for a hunt with them.
3. When in doubt, refer to rules 1 and 2 above. They'll be gone soon, and I plan to savor every minute with them that I can...
Maybe it's my age and/or life stage, but the size of the buck just doesn't matter near as much to me as it did a number of years ago. Oh sure, my family, friends and I would all love to take a big buck, but its' importance relative to spending quality time with these folks has fallen waaaay down the totem pole in my view. Maybe that makes me weird and unusual, but if so, so be it. Good luck to all in 2014!!
NWBuck
Lucky13
Member
Well this being my first year back in the whitetail woods I learned a ton!
Some things I am going to work on:
Shooting my bow is a big one! Even though my bow is sighted in I need to get more comfortable with shooting it.
Learning more about scent control....I know there is alot of guys on here that dont buiy into scent containment clothing but I will be outfitted in it come next year because even if its not 100% every little bit helps and Ill look cool in pics(thats a joke)
I killed my buck at 11:30 in the morning on Nov 8th so I will start hunting all day probably around the 5th
But to top all of this my main goal for next year is to get my wife to kill a deer with her bow!!! (taxidermy bill could be a little high next year if this happens!)
oh and i will be messaging some of you throughout the year to gain as much knowledge as possible!!!!
Some things I am going to work on:
Shooting my bow is a big one! Even though my bow is sighted in I need to get more comfortable with shooting it.
Learning more about scent control....I know there is alot of guys on here that dont buiy into scent containment clothing but I will be outfitted in it come next year because even if its not 100% every little bit helps and Ill look cool in pics(thats a joke)
I killed my buck at 11:30 in the morning on Nov 8th so I will start hunting all day probably around the 5th
But to top all of this my main goal for next year is to get my wife to kill a deer with her bow!!! (taxidermy bill could be a little high next year if this happens!)
oh and i will be messaging some of you throughout the year to gain as much knowledge as possible!!!!
Liv4Rut
Active Member
I learned im not 18 anymore. Going from not excercising for years, being in sales, on the road daily eating junk food and then thinking I can throw on a 50lb pack and walk in 1.5 miles on public for an all day sit will be easy. Wrong, my back has not been right since.
I guess my goal is to lose weight and get in shape before next year because it is not getting any easier.
I guess my goal is to lose weight and get in shape before next year because it is not getting any easier.
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showstopper
PMA Member
I don't know if I have a learning lesson but I know I need to stick with my plan and not let the heat of the moment change my decision making and process that I take when determining to shoot or not. The story is, I called in the shooter buck I wanted and got a 30 yard quartering away shot at him. Released and heard bones break as I assumed the arrow passed through the rib cage. I got down and checked the arrow to find only hair stuffed in the rage two blade with absolutely no blood and the arrow laying flat on the ground. Deer ran about 20 yards and turned to watch me before limping off. Not sure what happened but guessing shoulder blade.
Anyways, next morning I was calling to the exact deer and have a young 9 point come in. I texted friends the update with the initial reaction of not a shooter. As he destroys trees and flips dead limbs on his way to me I somehow decided that I was going to take him. Solid buck, but he was young and not what I wanted to put a tag on this year. I had passed at least three bigger bucks including one the night before and one that morning. UGH! I have to stay with my Yes, Yes, Yes approach to shooters. I tell myself that all three assessments have to be yes to shoot from first sight, recognition from trail cameras, and big enough to replace something on the wall.
Anyways, for my luck with getting shots at my two target bucks the last two years and not killing either, I am going back to fixed blade broad heads as well. Although I do not foresee any shooters on any of the properties I hunt from what the trail cameras are showing for inventory right now…
Great post topic here!
Anyways, next morning I was calling to the exact deer and have a young 9 point come in. I texted friends the update with the initial reaction of not a shooter. As he destroys trees and flips dead limbs on his way to me I somehow decided that I was going to take him. Solid buck, but he was young and not what I wanted to put a tag on this year. I had passed at least three bigger bucks including one the night before and one that morning. UGH! I have to stay with my Yes, Yes, Yes approach to shooters. I tell myself that all three assessments have to be yes to shoot from first sight, recognition from trail cameras, and big enough to replace something on the wall.
Anyways, for my luck with getting shots at my two target bucks the last two years and not killing either, I am going back to fixed blade broad heads as well. Although I do not foresee any shooters on any of the properties I hunt from what the trail cameras are showing for inventory right now…
Great post topic here!
Daver
PMA Member
Liv4Rut
Active Member
What do you sell Liv? Maybe I am buying...
Water treatment chemicals and services.
Boilers, cooling towers, wastewater all the fun stuff.I'm going to start my rut hunt in Northern MO around November 4 or 5 rather than Nov 1 like I have been. It seems like the big ones don't get on their feet consistently until at least Nov 5 in my area. A late October cold front seems to get them going briefly but I think they figure out quickly that the does are ready yet so they better tuck it back in their pants for a few days.
Sligh, I know I've read similar info from you over the years and I'm finally catching on.
Sligh, I know I've read similar info from you over the years and I'm finally catching on.
Woehlk
Aim Small Miss Small
I'm going to train harder for this upcoming season utilizing both the gym and working out in between shooting. I try and keep myself in pretty good shape by running leading up to archery season for not only hunting, but also my annual PT test for the Iowa National Guard. This spring I'm going to start running at least 5 days a week in between 2 to 5 miles per day, and mixing up the runs between the treadmill, pavement, and trail running. I also plan to get in more cardio workouts, and mixing in some cross fit training during the weekdays. Eating a healthier diet that consists or more greens and less Blue cans lol. I've been doing a lot of reading up on Cameron Hanes lately and realized that if I push myself that extra amount all year that hunting will become easier (train hard, hunt easier) which will include hanging stands, trimming lanes, shooting in the off season and scouting. All these will maximize my hunting with me in better shape and allow me to become a more effective hunter.
This season I also learned that I wasted time in the tree on days that weren't optimal for the location or time of year, for the simple fact I wanted to be in the tree rather than working. I've located several stand locations that will allow me to slip in and out without bumping deer, and plan to utilize these locations on only days the wind is perfect. Save vacation for those days as well as the rut to maximize my opportunity to harvest a mature whitetail. Also utilize pinch points that will allow me easier shots rather than deer feeding in an open field at 40 - 60 yards.
With those being said I plan to get back to my bow hunting roots, and remember where I started and when every minute in the tree was fun and exciting. Try to minimize frustrations by proper planning and execution before during and after hunting season.
Above all remember that "Family comes first, all things antlered second." I got that tattooed on my body for a reason to remember there is a time for hunting, and a time for family, and while my daughter gets older it means less days in the tree and more days with her.
This season I also learned that I wasted time in the tree on days that weren't optimal for the location or time of year, for the simple fact I wanted to be in the tree rather than working. I've located several stand locations that will allow me to slip in and out without bumping deer, and plan to utilize these locations on only days the wind is perfect. Save vacation for those days as well as the rut to maximize my opportunity to harvest a mature whitetail. Also utilize pinch points that will allow me easier shots rather than deer feeding in an open field at 40 - 60 yards.
With those being said I plan to get back to my bow hunting roots, and remember where I started and when every minute in the tree was fun and exciting. Try to minimize frustrations by proper planning and execution before during and after hunting season.
Above all remember that "Family comes first, all things antlered second." I got that tattooed on my body for a reason to remember there is a time for hunting, and a time for family, and while my daughter gets older it means less days in the tree and more days with her.
Great stuff guys, I'm reading and learning!
In general, I wish I had a solution for a slower and less intense rut..... I am and will be adapting to what I think is a new norm for our ruts - SSSSLLLOOOWWWERRR. Unless I get into a bee-hive of bucks on a hot doe - it just isn't like it was 5 plus years ago. Does this mean change the dates I hunt? Sure. Focus closer towards food? Maybe slightly. I have many ideas but I sure like hearing responses from others on that real, widespread and difficult challenge I see.
In general, I wish I had a solution for a slower and less intense rut..... I am and will be adapting to what I think is a new norm for our ruts - SSSSLLLOOOWWWERRR. Unless I get into a bee-hive of bucks on a hot doe - it just isn't like it was 5 plus years ago. Does this mean change the dates I hunt? Sure. Focus closer towards food? Maybe slightly. I have many ideas but I sure like hearing responses from others on that real, widespread and difficult challenge I see.
IAwhitetailfreak
Member
I think i will start my vacation a week later this year (nov. 6+) Be a little quicker to react to buck movement and moving stands. Don't get down when things don't seem to be going my way. Take that opportunity on that buck that is mature but that well antlered. Things are not like they were 5 years ago and I'm having a hard time with that. Continue to learn in the whitetail woods.
Bow Ben
Member
Over the last 3 years I have bow hunted less days than I ever have in my life....and killed my 2 biggest bucks to date. In my younger days I would spend every free minute I had in a stand and get frustrated and burnt out before November even came around. It only takes 1 hunt in the right spot to fill your tag. This year I didn't bow hunt for the first time until November 5th.....and filled my tag on a giant November 8th.
Like a lot of people on here I am a trail cam addict. Always get a lot of great pics in the summer but at times things can get pretty cold on the cameras in the fall which used to frustrate me to no end. This year I had 2 cameras 150 yards apart in a good looking area but nothing showing up on camera for almost 2 weeks during primetime. I almost pulled a stand I had in the area but decided to keep at it. On November 7th I saw a great buck go through there with no shot and November 8th I killed the giant above....neither one of those bucks walked by my cameras. I don't put much stock in trail camera pics anymore come November. I will rely on hunting good sign and instincts more than trail cam pics come rut.
Like a lot of people on here I am a trail cam addict. Always get a lot of great pics in the summer but at times things can get pretty cold on the cameras in the fall which used to frustrate me to no end. This year I had 2 cameras 150 yards apart in a good looking area but nothing showing up on camera for almost 2 weeks during primetime. I almost pulled a stand I had in the area but decided to keep at it. On November 7th I saw a great buck go through there with no shot and November 8th I killed the giant above....neither one of those bucks walked by my cameras. I don't put much stock in trail camera pics anymore come November. I will rely on hunting good sign and instincts more than trail cam pics come rut.
Truth&Honest
Member
We spend a lot of time moaning on here about the "shed buck season", but we really should be calling that disaster of a season the "button buck season". In my opinion and area, the rut has cooled off recently from less bucks overall.
The added pressure the last 5+ years on antlerless deer has not only reduced the does, but taken a huge % of the button bucks. These are not born (because mom was killed), or were killed with all those extra 'antlerless' tags/seasons.
Start running some numbers in your section of how many buttons used to survive. These are the only deer that survive to be 6 points, the more 6 points, the better chance to have a lot of 2 year olds, then the crucial years- we need a lot of 3 year olds to survive the added intense buck hunting pressure....all to grow up to a few really nice bucks so they compete and cruise during the rut in daylight.
Long story, short....I learned several years ago, when I could see the writing on the wall with neighbors blasting deer for 4 months straight, stop shooting deer you don't want to eat. Enjoy the hunt more....