Off-beat Tactics

[Bowhuntingboy]

I know there are a lot of experienced hunters who visit this site and experienced hunters have learned a lot while in the woods. So, to all the seasoned hunters out there, I ask: What have been some of the most interesting, strange, and innovative tactics you've tried out on the hunt to get the upper hand on those big bruisers or any whitetail?

Just to start things off: This isn't the best hunting tactic but I though it worked well. I was on stand at about closing time and wanted to leave without spooking the deer I had around me so I climbed out of my stand and made a mad run in the opposite direction of where the deer were. As I ran I made the alarm distress snort with my mouth. I turned and watched to see the deer become curious but not spooked. This little innovative tactic allowed me to leave my stand without letting deer know I was a human. I saw deer from that stand the next day.

So, let's here what some of you have to say. We can learn these little tricks from eachother and improve ourselves as hunters because we all know every detail counts as I've learned all too many times the hard way being that I'm a young bow hunter.

Thanks for any shared stories.

 

[moosehunter]

try crawling on all fours if your on a stalk and have deer spotted. i did this a few years ago. the deer were aware of me and my location. a couple other guys were watching me stalk up on these deer from a distance and as soon as i started crawling the deer turned paid no attention to me at all. i think it was because i didn't sound like a man walking anymore. i crawled to within 50 yards of them and dropped a dandy doe. it was one of the most exciting hunts i've ever had.

 

[muddy]

on the way to or from a stand i will pee in buck scrapes if they're within 100 yards of my stand. sound goofy? yes, it is, but on more than one occasion i have "freshened" a scrape up only to come back the next day or that evening and the scrap is just mauled wish fresh tracks and such. when i do this i always have on rubber boots and lay my bow down a ways away so as not to leave scent.

ok...on with the muddy bashing for that post...i brought it on myself...

 

[Bobcat]

Muddy, I've been told that you should also put a tarsal gland in your mouth and chew on the overhead branch while you're juicin up the scrape, they say it really fires up the big boys when you do this. Let me know how it works, Mr. Intimidater.

 

[Liv4Rut]

another thing that works for not spooking deer off the field by a human sighting, is simply take a coyote howler right when you are about to leave let out a few howls, all the deer will instinctively run away, but its just because they feel a natural predator is their and not a human!! and as you can guess, a coyote wont really spook deer to bad they might run but by the time you are gone they will continue to feed.

 

[Kat]

I need to find one of those coyote howlers. I've tried barking like a dog...they didn't run very far. Too busy laughing I guess. I probably sounded like a rabid poodle. I actually had one follow me up to the landowners yard out of curiosity. "...doggie???"

 

[firedog]

Nice one Muddy! Hope you know where all the trail cameras are!?!

Walmart might not process those pictures!

 

[afterpy]

One year while scouting prior to the season I tried two concoctions on a drag line to see if deer would respond. One was a mixture of vanilla and walnut extract, two does came wandering in with noses to the air. The other was straight ammonia and I was amazed when a small buck came right in behind me. Both mixtures I had heard about from other hunters, so I was surprised when they worked to some degree.

 

[all4s]

Muddy, we must have read the same article. The story goes, this hunter was trying to eliminate some of the scrapes that were away from his hunting stand so he pissed in those scrapes. Turned out those scrapes were hit the most! I just don't know which scrape I would pee on and which one I would put deer pee on?

My off beat tatic is my signature!
Hunt on All4s

 

[203ntyp]

I snort at deer when I jump them going to & from my stands. They stop every time & usually go back to their business if they haven't identified or winded me. I also like to stomp the ground hard with the tip of my boot, I've lured deer back into bow range on many occasions doing this. I did this to two buck on the way out one time & a nice one came right back to within 15 yards, unfortunately I hit him in the shoulder & had very little penetration. I also do dumb things when I know I've been had on the ground like start wistling or talking to the deer, they tend to stand there dumb founded most of the time & on several occasions I kept walking & talking like I didn't see them & got within 25 yards or less. I know it sounds goofy but depending on how much pressure they see or if they feel threatended or not you can do dumb stuff & get prettty close to them.

 

[scout]

I thought those Pennsylvania deer were so hyper-spooky?

One year I had four stands within a 80 yard circle to doop a nice 145 buck.
Hard wind spot. Never so stinky that he bolted, but was detected twice. Even a little change in location will trip'em up. I smoked him after a lot of effort.