BSK, gonna love this one

[Fordman]

Simple solution to this debate debacle..... Get out in the woods, pay attention to everything and you will see that BSK is spot in. Over a decade ago when I first found this site I thought BSK was just a pot smoking hippie after a couple years I figured out he is possibly the best deer scientist in the southeast as well......

 

[timberjack86]

Simple solution to this debate debacle..... Get out in the woods, pay attention to everything and you will see that BSK is spot in. Over a decade ago when I first found this site I thought BSK was just a pot smoking hippie after a couple years I figured out he is possibly the best deer scientist in the southeast as well......

x2 on both accounts

 

[Headhunter]

In my 30+ years of deer hunting in mostly middle Tennessee, when it comes to deer and deer hunting I completely agree with BSK on some things and (as I am sure many do about my opinions) I completely disagree on what he thinks on others.

 

[BSK]

I completely disagree on what he thinks on others.

That makes you a very smart man Headhunter!

 

[EastTNHunter]

There is also an issue where some states offer more quality hunting opportunities to exclusive archery hunters. In other words, if you choose to hunt only with archery, you get access to higher-quality hunting. Generally speaking, this is not the case in TN, although there are some exceptions.

I would contend that early season, when deer are still on their summer feeding patterns, is a very high quality hunting opportunity that gun/ml hunters do not have access to. The deer are less pressured at this time, as well, multiplying the quality of the hunt.

I used to bow hunt more, and would have considered myself an avid bowhunter, but now that I have kids and more responsibilities, I have less time in the woods and prefer the more "efficient" hunting methods. That is why I am glad that gun/ml covers the rut, even though this year the first week of Nov will be bow only, which is traditionally a very good time to hunt in my area. I would almost be willing to swap the rut for the early season, though.

Sorry, just my thoughts and no hard feelings either way...

 

[Headhunter]

Definitely not meant in a bad way toward you BSK. I approach many things in hunting and fishing differently than most. I would be a rich man if I just had a dollar for every time I have been told, or something to the effect of, "you won't kill a buck or a deer or catch a fish or a certain day will be a waste of time to hunt or fish" only to have one of the best days hunting or fishing I have ever had. What cracks me up the most (I work with one) are the guys who have never killed a deer but they tell me the way I hunt is wrong because they read it in a book or saw in a show that what I am doing is wrong.

My personal favorite is a friend of the family who told me (while we were on public land hunt) that if he could hunt "pet" deer like I do then he could kill them like me. He told me how smart you had to be to kill public land deer, and that afternoon I killed a great 3.5 year old 10 pointer and have killed a deer on the majority of our public land hunts together ever since. He watches "all" the hunting shows and claims to know more than anyone else, he has not even hardly seen a deer since the "pet" deer comment. Karma I guess.

 

[102]

102, I hunt everywhere, from places that are jungle thick to as wide open as it gets. Mature bucks can and will show up anytime anywhere. My best bow opportunity (gun also) in my life was a giant 8 point, you wouldn't believe how big, easy 160 class deer, after I blew the shot he ran out and stood in the field til dark at about 100 yards (this was in the first week of December, rare occurrence for me, but it was a public land WMA) that came out in thue wide open about an hour before dark. I blew it is all I can say but I had been hunting the "thickets" before and I saw more deer and more bucks hunting the wide open spot than I did in the thickets that year. This place was heavily pressured and other hunters were walking by me looking at me in the tree I am sure wondering "what idiot is hunting the freshly bush hogged wide open spot" but it was being used for sure. I hunt wherever I feel I have the best chance to get an opportunity. I love the guys who say "that is to open, you will never see a good buck there in the daylight". I have killed good bucks in the some the nastiest thick crap you can imagine but I have killed some nice bucks in the wide open, with a bow inside of 10 yards.

I agree HH. And in early season, or rut, I often hunt open areas. But I still like to concentrate on pinch points. Sometimes this may mean a low point in the fence, or a blow down, or even a small terrain variation.

But without rut, and in high pressured areas, I have enjoyed my best success in thick areas with openings.

 

[102]

We hunted (and would hunt if we went back to it) hard with a bow, just like we do with an MZ or gun. And that's a big reason not to go back. Why ruin the absolute top time of year with a long-range weapon, just to look at the one chance of a good buck as it walks by out of range?

True Bryan (BSK), But then, I rarely hunt in places where I see a buck that is out of range.

But you're forgetting that you're a MUCH better hunter than I am!

Lol Bryan.

Bow hunter maybe!

 

[102]

We hunted (and would hunt if we went back to it) hard with a bow, just like we do with an MZ or gun. And that's a big reason not to go back. Why ruin the absolute top time of year with a long-range weapon, just to look at the one chance of a good buck as it walks by out of range?

True Bryan (BSK), But then, I rarely hunt in places where I see a buck that is out of range.

But you're forgetting that you're a MUCH better hunter than I am!

Me too apparently. :grin:



We don't bowhunt our relatively small farms in Illinois for that very reason. We try our best to hunt unpressured deer with our shotgun/muzzleloaders during the BEST time to hopefully afford the BEST opportunity for ALL! That doesn't mean that we have anything against bowhunting...it's just that we want to be able to utilize the most effective weapon that the law allows during the timeframe that has been PROVEN to be the best time to be in the deer woods. ANY intrusion before that time can/will tip our hat so to speak. All I know is that it surely has served us well over the last few years since we instituted this practice. Please, carry on.

Maybe...I know that pressure is king when it comes to hunting and finding deer.

But rut trumps all!!!

 

[BSK]

Definitely not meant in a bad way toward you BSK.

And I didn't take it that way. I don't think anyone agrees COMPLETELY with anyone else (at least I hope not). Dr. Grant Woods was my mentor for a decade. I think he's a brilliant deer biologist and manager. But that doesn't mean I agree with him on everything. We have major differences in beliefs about biology, management, hunting, and life in general. But I still think the world of him and truly respect him.

I would be a rich man if I just had a dollar for every time I have been told, or something to the effect of, "you won't kill a buck or a deer or catch a fish or a certain day will be a waste of time to hunt or fish" only to have one of the best days hunting or fishing I have ever had.

"Never" and "always" are two very dangerous words when it comes to hunting and fishing! That's why I always try to point out that even my highly data-driven opinions are only about "trends;" i.e. less like, more likely, highly unlikely, vast majority, etc.