Write a book?

[102]

This was recently suggested to me.

Hang on, pull back everyone.
I know this probably raised a few hackles...(who is he?, what makes him think?, etc.)
I've spoken to several groups over the years and I know how difficult it is to get through to some.
Deer hunters can be a really rough group.
I'm not sure I've ever seen ANY group anywhere who has so many different attitudes when it comes to how, where, why, than a bunch of experienced hunters.
And jealousy? WOW, envy, ego, suspicion, you name it.


I've been seriously thinking about writing a book.
A serious book for serious, beginner, bowhunter or gun.

The primary reason for the book is NOT to tell anyone how to kill big mature bucks with a weapon in a given area.
Although there will be reference to this.

There will also be reference to how to kill ANY legal deer.

But MOSTLY there will be discussion on how to hunt deer. In the South. On public.

And most importantly...HOW TO KILL THAT DEER. AND THEN HOW TO TRACK IT.

Obviously the book will be from a bowhunters perspective but gun hunters will also glean valuable information.

Why would I write this you ask?

Because there is so much REALLY BAD and misleading information on the Web that I believe it is time.

I know there are several out there now.

I've read several.

But this would be a South East U.S. (mostly) specific writing about the way WE all hunt.

I could do a YOUTUBE channel but there are plenty now and I don't really think it would be as effective.

Most YOUTUBERS I see, even do not place much emphasis on the blood trail, the shot, and ESPECIALLY...the after shot. And they certainly do not do this with regularity.

This book will be a steady in hand (truck) reference to consult when making decisions about follow up on recovering deer after the shot. AND BEFORE!

And there are MANY clues to help in recovery BEFORE the shot as well.

OK...thoughts?
Questions?

 

[Hduke86]

Go for it I say. Im not a beginning but far from being a expert woodsman. Maybe not only talk about deer hunting but outdoor in general some. Identifying trees and plants and how to use that to your advantage and maybe toss in some small game action or turkey hunting and tie it into some off season scouting with how deer movements and patterns are different from spring time to rut and dead of winter deer movement.

 

[Volbuck777]

Go for it man! I had guys call me yesterday on blood trailing a deer they had shot. One guy was new to hunting and one that has done it for years. They we're getting my opinion on what I thought. They described the shot, the way it reacted, the way it left the sight. After everything with much patience they resorted to what I told them, and may have already known. They walked the creek and found the deer. It was a hop and a skip away but after finding no blood and only hair most people would have given up. I for one think hunters need to stay the course after the shot stay patient and do whatever it takes to find the deer. If nothing else they owe that to the animal. A lot of people want to hunt but they don't know the particulars especially bow hunting. I swear I still learn things quite a bit that I thought I knew. Nothing wrong with getting an opinion, and a little more know how. Good luck.

 

[fairchaser]

I would like to see a book on " all the mistakes deer hunters make" but it would look like a set of encyclopedias.

 

[Andy S.]

You know my vote is YES. My vote doesn't count for much, but if I had a family member who's life was on the line and a hunter had to kill a pressured "deer or mature deer" on public land with a bow to save their life, I'd hire you. I like the fact you care and desire to focus on the approach (how to) and the nuts and bolts of the hunt, shot and tracking after the shot. So many nowadays want the focus to be on them (the hunter) and the antlers. There is little to learn from that. Best of luck in your quest to writing the book.

 

[102]

All true responses so far.
And yes there will be much on tree ID and importance as well as browse.

And PLENTY on mistakes. PLENTY!!!

Because I have made a BUNCH and seen even more!

 

[AT Hiker]

Be mindful of describing the public land, you could unintentionally invite a hoard of new hunting buddies to your spot.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Not sure how well a book would sell in this day and age, but good luck.

 

[BSK]

Write away!

But you'll quickly find out writing a book is one of the most frustrating endeavors you will ever undertake!

 

[CBU93]

Writing a book is one thing…getting it published is something altogether different.

I would think electronic media would be a better means of info transference today. IMO

 

[Union Co. Boy]

Write away my friend! Make it available on all platforms like Kindle, for instance. I say do it. You may not get rich, which obviously is not your goal, but I believe you'll enhance the knowledge base of hunters of all levels of experience if they choose to read it. You've got a guaranteed sale right here! I'm always willing to learn. It's a school teacher thing.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Go for it....I appreciate a good book....and enjoy reading anything "deer"....a book focused specifically on the Southeast would be nice.

 

[102]

So what would be the "hook"?
I mean I am not well known, have no "channel", and no credentials.

How do you get "street credit"?

Start out with documentation (I have 322 bow tags, 34 gun kills ((last I checked)), individual pics, loads of video, etc.)
Who I am?

Name the book,

300 Whitetail Bow Kills
(mostly on Public Land)

"An Experienced Archers Thoughts on How to Put Your Tags on More Whitetails In The Southeastern Parts of The United States"

Thoughts?

 

[BSK]

"300 Public Land Whitetails with a Bow"

 

[redblood]

"300 Public Land Whitetails with a Bow"

Yeah, that would catch my eye.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

The unfortunate reality in this time is that most people will take advice from a
YouTuber that hasn't hunted very long or even accomplished very much before they will listen to a much more accomplished Hunter that isn't a YouTuber, IMO. You see that commonly, people just idolize YouTubers.

Don't take that as me saying not to write the book or write down your thoughts in some format. I think anyone with those kind of aspirations should absolutely do it. Just don't expect the under 30 or 40 crowd to flock to it, the majority of that crowd wants their YouTubers.

What I see most out of those that idolize the YouTubers is that they don't actually hunt very seriously, preferring to vicariously live through their idols, and just talk about how they would like to hunt without actually doing it. Lots of people that I grew up with are that way. They idolize THP, buy all the gear, talk big about their adventures they want to go on, then hunt like a few days a season and whine about how they didn't do any good This is just my opinion.

 

[Smo]

"300 Public Land Whitetails with a Bow"

Don't poke the Bear….. lol

 

[K-dub]

Sounds like a great idea to me. I would buy it just to read of your experiences over your hunting career. Isn't that why we buy reading material anyway, to read about someone else's experiences in an area we have in common. Word o mouth is what makes things sell after that.

 

[beefydeer]

Do a vlog on Youtube

 

[tree_ghost]

As a bowhunter myself, I'd love to hear the words and wisdom of a guy who has had as much experience in the whitetail woods as yourself. There's lots of information out there about hunting other geographical areas of the country or hunting on nice private land but there's hardly anything out there about SE public land deer. I'd gladly drop the coin for a copy…