That feeling...

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MUP

MUP

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Aug 1, 2007
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116,333
City & State/Province
Just North of Chatt-town
Friday, I left work, stopped by the house, then headed to the mtn for some stand work and tcam checking. Walking in and out a few times, up and down a couple of trees a few times, and back in after stand work to check the cams. I was wore out! But, love that feeling knowing that I'm prepping for that opening day of season! ;) I checked the pics when I got home, and within minutes of passing one of my cams there was a doe and fawn that walked out across my path, looked around sniffing where I had walked, and wandered on thru. Pretty cool I thought. Just made me wonder how often that happens when I'm actually hunting. :)
 
That's cool Mup and I know what you are talking about. You are tired but man it's a good tired
 
Yeppers. I have a couple stands up and the cameras out. I just closed the pool for the year and about to winterize the boat and put it up. I'll probably make at least 1 more trip to the woods and all I have to do is concentrate on my bow and wait for opener. Life is good.
 
I love getting worn out in preparation and also in dragging a deer out. It's good exercise and it's what I love doing too. When I hung my stand a week ago it was definitely some work to get everything back in the woods and get the stand hung by myself. But I'd do it again and enjoy it
 
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That doe that walked by your stand, sniffing and investigating, and probably nearby watching you or listening to hear while you were going about your business, is why I quit messing around in my hunting areas prior to the season.

That doe had probably been around from the time you got there until the time you left.
I have seen this repeated several times.
Almost always it was from a stand as other hunters milled about and does, or bucks, were nearby.

I have seen deer watch hunters, or other passersby, from discrete positions, and then sneak off after the danger or curiosity is gone.

I am convinced that this "investigating after we are gone" has cost me more mature deer than I could have ever imagined before I stopped doing that type activity in my hunting area.

My success rate on public land has climbed considerably since I quit spending much time in my best areas prior to the hunt.

I generally associate scouting this close to deer season (assuming we are talking bow season) to walking around the woods and making turkey sounds weeks before the season opens.

I this situation, this doe has taught you something.
Scent lingers! Imagine this scenario whereby a mature buck comes by, HOURS or even days later, and gets a whiff of where you walked.

In the areas I hunt, I assume the woods have been basically VOID of human scent, sounds, and sight, for MONTHS prior to my arrival. In this case, I have the element of surprise in my favor.
After THREE hunts in that tree, I am DONE!
 
Well, in this case, it was unavoidable, as I must get my set up ready. Albeit a little later than I normally would be in there this year, still had to do it. Also, it was probably about 300 yds, give or take, from my actual stand site, so hopefully no harm done. They were not alarmed, just sniffed a bit, actually lingered a few minutes, and casually walked on up the ridge. My other cams show no drop off in activity so far, and I check my cams about every two weeks. I also try to time it for a rain after I've been in too, to help wash my scent out. Hoping for some rain today as a matter of fact. ;)
 
I'm getting to the age where I "love" watching my sons do it while I supervise!! Seriously, nothing like being "grounded" by going into the woods to get ready for the season...
 
I spent the wknd looking at a new area I just got permission to hunt. I know its late but I figured learning the lay of the land NOW would be much better than 3 weeks from now! Looks promising and I made a mental note of 2 or 3 places I can go back to before daylight one morning and go up a tree when bow season is open!!!
 
I'm hunting on my own land, so it makes sense to me to have my stands set, then slip into them with the proper wind direction with as little noise as possible. I usually have them taken care of by mid August, but just running late this year.

Oh, and 102, I totally understand your decision to take your climber, and know that you hunt mature, dandy bucks, and usually get one or two of them, but I hunt what comes my way, as I only hunt my property, and don't venture out on public land anymore. Sometimes it's a great year, sometimes it's only a good one...never a bad one as long as I can hunt tho. :grin:
 
MUP said:
I'm hunting on my own land, so it makes sense to me to have my stands set, then slip into them with the proper wind direction with as little noise as possible. I usually have them taken care of by mid August, but just running late this year.

Oh, and 102, I totally understand your decision to take your climber, and know that you hunt mature, dandy bucks, and usually get one or two of them, but I hunt what comes my way, as I only hunt my property, and don't venture out on public land anymore. Sometimes it's a great year, sometimes it's only a good one...never a bad one as long as I can hunt tho. :grin:
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Totally agree MUP.

AS I stated in my post...PUBLIC land deer require more attention to scent.

I hunt private land deer different than I do high pressured deer.
 
ALSO MUP.
I am more of an everyday deer hunter now.
I save trophy hunting for Illinois, the rest is anything goes! mostly does
 
That doe I spoke of, is on my list as well. :grin: But, I also have to say that the deer on my small tract are pressured as much as public land, bc the poachers and trespassers think of it as their own public shooting ground to slip in and poach at their leisure. I've lost count of how many times I've went in on a morning hunt, only to see flashlight(s) in the early darkness turn and run out when they know I'm in there that day. No telling how often theyre in there on the days I can't be. :/ It's a very hard road owning your own property and definitely presents its own unique problems when it comes to hunting and managing as you would like to.
 
Sunday, me and my son put up a stand, cut limbs, weed-eated a path, raked and blew it, checked cams and then cooled off in the creek. All before the Titans game started (sorry Lord).

I live it too.
 
MUP said:
That doe I spoke of, is on my list as well. :grin: But, I also have to say that the deer on my small tract are pressured as much as public land, bc the poachers and trespassers think of it as their own public shooting ground to slip in and poach at their leisure. I've lost count of how many times I've went in on a morning hunt, only to see flashlight(s) in the early darkness turn and run out when they know I'm in there that day. No telling how often theyre in there on the days I can't be. :/ It's a very hard road owning your own property and definitely presents its own unique problems when it comes to hunting and managing as you would like to.
Click to expand...

This is why I gave up on owned land. Hard to get private property, HARDER to keep.

Small land parcel next to LOADS of PUBLIC. You can't beat them.

And going down the road of taking people to court gets VERY expensive. I consider my time too valuable.
 
Now that's not to say that I don't take pride in being a landowner, I surely do. There's nothing like taking a deer, any deer, from your own land I believe. I'm taken back each time I'm successful taking an animal on my place, to thinking of the days when my ancestors were out there hunting on their land, which has been in the family since the 1800's. Very cool feeling indeed. :)

And I'm proud to be able to defend it from the likes of those poachers/trespassers too, along with the inevitable "land-grabbers" that I've dealt with over the years as well, which is another story entirely. But there's no giving in on owning this land, my family's land, just too much at stake to even consider it. ;)
 
Mup you know you shouldn't go out hunting by yourself. Do you want me to get my bow......i mean your back and help you. You know... to be sure a deer don't just jump out on you. I could go to watch you back lol. Good luck with you hunts and send me some pics of the deer i should be getting.
 

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