Successful Deer Hunting

[KENBOB10]

I personally think you make your own luck. What I mean is putting in scouting time and making sure they have browse. Staying on stand is a big part also.

 

[Brisco Darlin]

and letting some walk. by the way how many did you pass up last year?

 

[BSK]

What's your measure of "success?"

When it comes to stand time, personally I would rather spend far fewer but smarter hours on stand than lots of unproductive hours on stand. In essence, I would rather hunt 3 hours in the right stand than 3 days in the wrong stand.

 

[KENBOB10]

Lol, I can't count that high. I let does walk last year because of the die off we had. Don't know for sure what exact disease it was, but it got quite a few. Didn't see any big bucks, but had some on camera.

 

[BSK]

and letting some walk.

Again, that depends on what "success" is: success at killing a deer? A buck? An old buck? A big buck? What is "success?"

...by the way how many did you pass up last year?

Some years I may pass 30 or more deer, but last year I only passed 10 deer (1 buck, 8 does, and 1 fawn).

 

[cecil30-30]

I think alot also has to do with the property you hunt.

 

[Snake]

and letting some walk.

Again, that depends on what "success" is: success at killing a deer? A buck? An old buck? A big buck? What is "success?"

...by the way how many did you pass up last year?

Some years I may pass 30 or more deer, but last year I only passed 10 deer (1 buck, 8 does, and 1 fawn).

. Success is all in the mind of the beholder ! What some deems success will not be to another . Attaining personal goals would be a successful year to me but with that being said just being able to spend time in God's creation and forgetting our life's troubles could be considered a successful season. There are many who don't have the physical ability to even go hunting . Our hunting privileges are being threatened every day so while you are able and have the means go have your successful hunting season with Godspeed. !

 

[barkscaler]

Well said snake.

 

[Hunter 257W]

As far as seeing and killing deer goes I've found that having a positive attitude goes a long way towards success. If you BELIEVE you are going to see deer - EXPECT to see them in fact, you stay more alert and focused and you DO see more deer.

Sounds obvious and corny maybe but being a naturally pesimistic person, it took me years to learn this.

 

[BSK]

Very well said Snake.

But my question to Kenbob10 about successful hunting was more about a person's personal definition of success and what it takes to achieve that. For example, what it takes to have a successful season killing any deer would be very different than what it would take to have a successful deer hunting if the goal is a 140+ buck.

 

[KENBOB10]

My answer Brian would be for me personally is seeing deer and picking the one I want to shoot or not shoot. I so enjoy watching them and seeing what alerts them and what they could care less about. I do agree that success differs with each individual.

 

[Shed Hunter]

Making sure they have enough browse? I don't understand that.

 

[BSK]

I get that Kenbob10. And I do agree with "making your own luck." I've had the opportunity to work with a bunch of hunting clubs, and invariably in every club, there will be a couple of guys who are always successful, while most of the other members aren't. The unsuccessful members will talk about how "lucky" those couple of regularly successful guys always are, but invariably it isn't just luck. They are the hunters who have learned the most and take the most care in their stand locations and hunting styles. In essence, they are the "smartest" hunters (in the vein of "hunting smarts"). Often times, they aren't the hunters who hunt the longest or the hardest. They are the hunters who hunt the smartest.

 

[KENBOB10]

Making sure they have enough browse? I don't understand that.

Again it comes with watching and scouting the deer. Watch what they are browsing on and make sure they have plenty of it. True story: I had a plot of very pretty winter wheat and some turnip greens in one end of it. I watched a doe and a yearling walk straight through the plot, never stopping, straight to a little stand of rabbit tobacco and start eating it. I began to wonder why I was putting out foodplots.

 

[KENBOB10]

Exactly what I was relating to Brian.

 

[Shed Hunter]

Kenbob, I get what you are saying, but does that make you a better hunter or manager? Knowing how to use the browse to your advantage-hunter. Manipulating it to better the habitat-manager.

 

[KENBOB10]

Absolutely I think it makes me a better hunter than I was. I'm not saying I'm a better hunter than anyone else. When I know what to look for in the way of browse and cover I can't help but be better. I don't know about the manager part. Maybe they are closely related?

 

[Boone 58]

Yep, I spend so much time in the woods and sometimes I realize I am on a dead stand for one reason or another. 1 hour of scouting time is worth more than 8 hours of random sitting without knowing whether you are in an area with a trophy buck. As the rut heats up, some spots heat up, while others which previously were hot die.............and that is a disgusting situation if you don't "find them". I have found hot sign and then killed the buck, and sometimes I have sat in a transition area that previously had been really dependable , but no buck showed up because the does had "moved". Be alert, scout, and move as needed, don't fall in love with a "spot".

 

[DaveB]

I've had some physical setbacks and right now my right eye vision is impaired. Cannot see through the scope. Gonna shoot leftie.

Success for me will be walking onto my lease and not being worried or even thinking about anything except hunting deer.

 

[in the dog house]

Just like my signature line says

 

[Coach]

Very well said Snake.

But my question to Kenbob10 about successful hunting was more about a person's personal definition of success and what it takes to achieve that. For example, what it takes to have a successful season killing any deer would be very different than what it would take to have a successful deer hunting if the goal is a 140+ buck.

If you feel you are successful, you are successful. If you shoot a large buck, a doe or if just being in the woods makes you feel successful...then, that's the definition

 

[KENBOB10]

Y'all are "getting" it.

 

[Snake]

I get that Kenbob10. And I do agree with "making your own luck." I've had the opportunity to work with a bunch of hunting clubs, and invariably in every club, there will be a couple of guys who are always successful, while most of the other members aren't. The unsuccessful members will talk about how "lucky" those couple of regularly successful guys always are, but invariably it isn't just luck. They are the hunters who have learned the most and take the most care in their stand locations and hunting styles. In essence, they are the "smartest" hunters (in the vein of "hunting smarts"). Often times, they aren't the hunters who hunt the longest or the hardest. They are the hunters who hunt the smartest.

. Most of those so called lucky hunters have a knack for being in the right place at the right time but not really because they were per say LUCKY . They could even be hunting the same property even the same stand locations but they bring home the proof ! At lot emphasis will be put out that " dang he's lucky " but they actually do certain things that increase their odds that others overlook . BSK hit the nail on the head but I'll put it in to simpler terms , successful hunters do what it takes ! It may not be that they are Gods gift to the hunting world but these hunters don't make many mistakes . Simple things such as how you approach your stand , making little noise as possible , being alert , paying attention to animals , I could go on and on with little things that can increase your odds . These things can be done without planting food plots ,acquiring prime deer property which every one can't do and the other things that will require lots of money plus time consuming ! Doing the best you possibly can with what you have to work with would be in my mine be a successful season .

 

[Football Hunter]

Picking a stand,seeing deer,not getting busted "successful" Killing a big buck,awesome

 

[Winchester]

I get that Kenbob10. And I do agree with "making your own luck." I've had the opportunity to work with a bunch of hunting clubs, and invariably in every club, there will be a couple of guys who are always successful, while most of the other members aren't. The unsuccessful members will talk about how "lucky" those couple of regularly successful guys always are, but invariably it isn't just luck. They are the hunters who have learned the most and take the most care in their stand locations and hunting styles. In essence, they are the "smartest" hunters (in the vein of "hunting smarts"). Often times, they aren't the hunters who hunt the longest or the hardest. They are the hunters who hunt the smartest.

. Most of those so called lucky hunters have a knack for being in the right place at the right time but not really because they were per say LUCKY . They could even be hunting the same property even the same stand locations but they bring home the proof ! At lot emphasis will be put out that " dang he's lucky " but they actually do certain things that increase their odds that others overlook . BSK hit the nail on the head but I'll put it in to simpler terms , successful hunters do what it takes ! It may not be that they are Gods gift to the hunting world but these hunters don't make many mistakes . Simple things such as how you approach your stand , making little noise as possible , being alert , paying attention to animals , I could go on and on with little things that can increase your odds . These things can be done without planting food plots ,acquiring prime deer property which every one can't do and the other things that will require lots of money plus time consuming ! Doing the best you possibly can with what you have to work with would be in my mine be a successful season .

On the money!! Luck is gone with consistency!! Those who consistently do better than average have long since stopped relying on luck!! Sure some luck once in a while is great and needed, but far from the reason many are successful year in and year out! Its all about being willing to put in what it takes to get out what you want!

 

[Shed Hunter]

Absolutely I think it makes me a better hunter than I was. I'm not saying I'm a better hunter than anyone else. When I know what to look for in the way of browse and cover I can't help but be better. I don't know about the manager part. Maybe they are closely related?

Like I said, making sure deer have the most optimal conditions does not make you a good hunter. That is management. For example...public land hunting takes away your ability to ensure deer have enough browse. Are public land hunters worse than private land hunters who can manipulate habitat? It's quite the opposite, IMO. We manage to make hunting easier. Making it easier doesn't make anyone a better hunter.

Management and hunting are related closely, but how skilled you are at hunting does not have anything to do with how biologically inclined you are.

 

[in the dog house]

Luck is where preparation and opportunity meet

 

[KENBOB10]

Absolutely I think it makes me a better hunter than I was. I'm not saying I'm a better hunter than anyone else. When I know what to look for in the way of browse and cover I can't help but be better. I don't know about the manager part. Maybe they are closely related?

Like I said, making sure deer have the most optimal conditions does not make you a good hunter. That is management. For example...public land hunting takes away your ability to ensure deer have enough browse. Are hi public land hunters worse than private land hunters who can manipulate habitat? It's quite the opposite, IMO. We manage to make hunting easier. Making it easier doesn't make anyone a better hunter.

Management and hunting are related closely, but how skilled you are at hunting does not have anything to do with how biologically inclined you are.

What did you call me?



:/

 

[Shed Hunter]

Absolutely I think it makes me a better hunter than I was. I'm not saying I'm a better hunter than anyone else. When I know what to look for in the way of browse and cover I can't help but be better. I don't know about the manager part. Maybe they are closely related?

Like I said, making sure deer have the most optimal conditions does not make you a good hunter. That is management. For example...public land hunting takes away your ability to ensure deer have enough browse. Are hi public land hunters worse than private land hunters who can manipulate habitat? It's quite the opposite, IMO. We manage to make hunting easier. Making it easier doesn't make anyone a better hunter.

Management and hunting are related closely, but how skilled you are at hunting does not have anything to do with how biologically inclined you are.

What did you call me?



:/

Idunno? Lol

I'm just giving you a hard time!

 

[KENBOB10]