Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Archie on September 09, 2012, 12:17:00 AM
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Someone brought this to light in a TG post not long ago, and I fear that I tend to agree with it. Why fear? Because I'm afraid that I'm likely pretty weak at the 95%. I shoot quite a bit in my own backyard, but my hunting opportunities are few, and usually I return empty-handed.
What is the best way to improve the "hunting" part of "bowhunting"? Mentor? Hunting camp with other accomplished hunters for the game you're pursuing? Reading? Keeping a journal and thinking through everything in depth after a hunt? Is TIME and EXPERIENCE the only true way to improve it?
What do you seasoned, reasonably successful, veteran bowhunters say???
I think a lot of guys get on this site and go gangbusters on bows, arrows, FOC, penetration, blah blah blah, but they forget that this is a trad BOWHUNTING site, not just trad archery.
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I like bows and arrows, broadheads and quivers as much as the next guy. From october - january im in the woods every weekend and day im off from work. I have learned alot from other people and continue to learn. I think to be a good hunter you have to put your time in. We learn from mistakes and sucess as well. Last year was a great year hunting and i didnt even get a shot. I hunted 1 deer, a 170"+ 12 pt and got within 25 yards of him 3 times. And that was on public land.
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Time in the field studying your game and developing a strategy.... a successful hunt is a byproduct of the previously mentioned done right... the hunt before the hunt.
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Learn from your mistakes,and spend as much time as possible in the woods
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As others have said time in the woods is the best teacher. All the reading, talking, mentoring in the world won't tell you what tree deer are feeding under right now.
Rob
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I'll echo time in the woods hunting and scouting. I look at reading and talking like a classroom and time in the woods is the lab/job where you prove and tweak what you've learned in class.
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practise your hunting on small game in the area.
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im in your boat. i think most my trouble has to do with the land i hunt. over hunted state land and dealing with the last 5 years of heard reductions. i get a little sour but keep at it.
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I agree it's easier to get shooting opportunities than hunting opportunities especially in some parts of the world and depending on ones job and family life. I think the only leg up us to read stuff by the best of the best, Fred Asbell-stalking and still hunting has some great tips. Maybe some others can chime in on other great books.
The other part is experience and I've had some great "aha" moments. The best was on a small property that I hunted for 3 years and dind't get a chance. The place was crawling with deer though but something always screwed me up, the neighbours dog, horses, cattle etc. On my way to that spot I always passed a small clump of bush about 100 yards in diameter and I also thought that I should someday take a walk over and check it out-but being busy hunting I never did. Finally one day I did and it was full of deer, I'd found "the spot" unfortunately it didn't have suitable trees for a stand. I found a large fallen tree just inside the brush line by about 18 yards and I dug a pit blind in front of it and used that tree as a backrest and to break up my outline. I shot three deer out of that spot and I did it easily.
So why the long drawn out story? Hopefully it will convince folks that scouting is more productive than hunting and there's always a way even if there are no trees for a stand. If I would have sat back and really looked at that property I would have seen the deer coming and going from that bush near dusk. Also it was totally fenced off so the horses and cattle couldn't get in and provided a nice spot for the deer. Unfortunately they sold off that little corner of the field and someone is building a house in the middle of my "magic bush."
So the next bit of advice is to really try hard to get a productive piece of land to hunt from. Not easy at all but it's the most important thing if you want to get a deer. Some times, like my "magic bush" they aren't readily apparent so don't pass by something that might be a good spot.
Another thing especially on a small property, if it's not a good night for hunting for whatever reason, the wind is wrong or you've gotten ready too late and might spook the animals-stay home and don't mess things up. Also using the same techniquies can educate the deer as to what you're doing, so mix it up a bit. I love decoys but don't use them all the time as soon the deer get used to it and worse it alerts them to the fact that I'm hunting again. The same for scents, calling and every other attractant there is, so use these things sparingly unless you're in the big woods or hunting a spot the first few times.
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Archie,
here in Illinios, I have found if I can get 3-4 days to hunt a patch of woods or a general area I can Harvest. We are lucky in that there are a lot of deer. But then again I'm not a trophy hunter, so if its brown its down. I have never shot a big bruiser, I have a couple of 125-140 class deer but nothing huge, but then again i don't pattern one deer or pass up too many either. I find heavily used trails and wait it out. Also, Im a big fan of that 9-noon time frame, I have killed a more than a few on over hunted public land that way. Find a good escape route and wait it out. When the other hunters get bored and leave they WILL push those deer to you. Have at it bud.
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I'm pleased to see some of the answers on this thread. Times have seemed to change and our future is on shakey grounds. Because of various factors, such as broken families, limited hours and high technology, it's become apparent a lot of folks are looking for a "quick fix" thinking they don't have the time. The technology is available to bypass the labor. I believe it should be a labor of love. I've always been of the opinion it's fine to read the books, watch the videos and listen to the lectures. But then put all that knowledge on the back burner and get out into the woods for the practical experience/application. That practical knowledge will be priceless. Nothing... I repeat, NOTHING beats time spent in the woods applying what you've learned. Open your mind, use common sense, slow down and THINK about what you're seeing. I feel we're approaching a dangerous situation regarding the foundations on which our woodsmanship skills were built. The younger hunters have been groomed to believe sitting over a food plot is the only way to hunt because that's pretty much all they see on TV. I should clarify I'm not at all against food plots. They are a huge benefit to wildlife during lean times. But I'm also of the belief the more you put into any endeavor the more self-satisfaction you'll get out of it. Rather than just shooting a deer in a food plot I feel becoming "one with nature" through constant scouting/learning will benefit anyone who puts in that labor of love. It's a win/win situation. If you are successful it will be satisfaction beyond belief. If you are not successful I'll bet my bottom dollar you'll still walk away knowing you've learned something that will benefit yourself or someone else in the future. Put in the time and effort to make it special. That's what real hunting is all about. BW
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One of the biggest things that can help is, if possible hunt where there is game. The more game that is around the better your chances of not only seeing some but getting a shot now and then. I hunt in an area that is poorly managed and just has low numbers of deer. Since 1968 I have had 2 shots at deer, a miss with a recurve in 1971 and a kill with a compound in 1993. I have seen deer and had a few close calls but it's tough when numbers are low. As said above, spend the time in the woods and use it as a class room. Keep notes or a journal and refer to it all the time. Enjoy your journey......I have enjoyed mine even as unsuccessful as it has been. :thumbsup: :notworthy:
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I do agree about hunting where there is game. I have really only one place to hunt (133 acres private land), and have had fewer than about 30 deer sightings in 8 years, hunting nearly every weekend many seasons. Tracks are sparse, and trails virtually non-existent. I hunted whitetail a few times in Ohio some years back, and remember seeing many more deer than I do here. That makes it tough to learn their ways.
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Im not an elite hunter but I do enjoy sporadic success. Like others said just get out and hunt, its the only gimmick that works all of the time .
I think the most important thing that separates successful hunters from non successful hunters is drive. How much a man loves this lifestyle has a strong correlation to how much meat he puts in the freezer, I guess its like anything else. The more you love it the more you get after it.
Ill also say this, and I hope not to offend but some people are just born to be better hunters than others hunters that make everything come together at the right time and the right place.
Some folks hunt because they like bows and some shoot bows because they can be used to hunt. Either way, its each mans choice and its all better than sitting home watching TV.
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Archie,
You are from the Chicago area correct? Is there anything you can do on the property to help hold and protect the deer? Food? Planting natural food sources such as persimmon trees and helping with cover? Im from S. Il so I have no knowledge of what you face up there, but I do know from the two small tracts (25, and 17ac) that I'm allowed to hunt we have tried to make the land more attractive to game.
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Also I have found even old fruit bearing trees apple, persimmon, pawpaw, and the like that look barren tend to respond VERY well to some TLC I'm the spring. I have pruned up some ol' long forgotten trees that then sprouted fruit the next season.
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Like anything else worth doing, you have to pay your dues. Of course, there are always the stories about the guy who kills a monster on his first hunt, but that scenario is a fluke. Most of us, the great hunters included, spend lots of time in the woods. I have had some success over the years, but I do spend lots and lots of hours outside, both in hunting season and out of season. I love watching wildlife, so off season time in the woods is not a chore for me. The more time spent in pursuit and study of game, the 'luckier' you get.
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The way you become a better hunter is to hunt more. You will also be surprised what you can learn by letting a few walk and learn from them.
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You have to put in the time. If you only have a few days to hunt each season, your odds will be pretty low no matter where you hunt.
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I will say that I am SUBSTANTIALLY better as a hunter now than I was only six or seven years ago. Pay attention to what it happening around you, be still or move very very slowly, and put in the time. Reading, scouting, studying...This is all good as well. I have a long way to go, but I have gotten markedly better both in skill and philosophy, and this has shown me how much more there is that can be learned and enjoyed.
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I bow hunted for deer for two years before I got a shot at my first deer.I found that most of my problem then was the people I hunted with that couldn't sit motionless or got up to walk around after awhile because they got stiff. Now I usually see deer everytime I'm out. I also turn down alot of shots every year and have seasons that I never shoot a deer. I learn something every season that I log in the old memory bank. My best year I sat 88 times and turned down many shots waiting for a big buck. Ended that season shooting the smallest buck I had seen on the last hour of the last day and it was one of the best seasons I ever had! Ironicly I'd practiced drawing on that same buck three times prior to shooting him and that was invalueable experience learning how to draw on one without being seen. All the practice before hunting lets you have confidence that given the opportunity you can make the shot. I shoot everyday with few exceptions so when shot comes I will give the animal the repect it deserves to be put down quickly and humanely.
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Brian, I'm not from Chicago... I live in greater Rockford, in the far north central part of Illinois. The property I hunt is within a few miles of the Wisconsin border.
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It's been said already on here, but time in the woods will probably help you more than anything else. And this includes time spent scouting. Find an area with a lot of sign and stick with it. Scout ahead of time to plan for different scenarios (wind direction, bad weather, what the food sources are at any given time, etc.). In north Louisiana, we have a fairly long archery season, Oct. 1 - Jan 31, so food sources vary greatly throughout the season. This means that scouting during the season is important (One of the main reasons that I squirrel hunt). I have different areas that are "hot" during different times of the year and I hunt them accordingly. I'm pretty new to traditional archery, but I have killed a fair few deer with firearms and "non-traditional" archery gear. I also believe that you can learn much more from watching deer than from killing deer.
If you can find someone who is a "good" hunter to hunt with, that is a big help. I grew up hunting along side my dad, who is one of the best hunters I know.
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My brand new pretty bow might help.
seriously though, I have nothing to add to whats been previously stated.
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Thanks, Charlie! It just might! ... Let me give you my address...!
Actually, I've got a right pretty-lookin' bow already, and it even shoots where it's supposed to most of the time. And I'm not bad in the woods, either... but man, those whitetails!!
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Most my kills come on a whim. Also the biggest. create a theory in your head año go with its usually a sign from the spirits
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I think it is mostly mental. Even many poor hunters know the right thing to do, they just don't do it. So I believe it is about confidence. Spend some time scouting (even if it is done remotely on maps) and feel like you know your area. This feeling seems to keep you more aware of your surroundings and keeps you alert. When you are confident a critter is coming around the corner any minute, you tend to be more still waiting on it.
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Putting in time is important, but even Mr. Wensel said in his book that $$ can help, by buying into posted land leases that limit hunters and contain game. All the woodsmanship in the world won't get you anywhere if there is no game on the land you hunt when you're there. Here in southeastern PA, there is plenty of public land. The only problem is that after the first couple of days of the season,the deer aren't on that land until well after dark, because there's plenty of private wooded farmland for them to hide in where the pressure is much less. So I content myself with taking my bow for a walk, sitting in good areas that might have a deer passing thru, and not having to drag a deer out! Oh, and the few deer I have seen are so small that I'm content to let them go to grow up. ;)
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Putting aside my thoughts that the idea of a 95/5 balance is a bit of a stretch (50/50 maybe), the best hunters I've known all had one thing in common (aside from being excellent archers). They were/are students of the animals they hunt. One can spend a lifetime pursuing a species and learn little to nothing if they do not trully study their quary. There's an old cliche that applies here about the difference between 20 years of experience and 1 year of experience repeated 20 times.
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Thanks, Jason... that last line is some pretty sage advice.
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Like many have already said, there is no substitute for time in the field. Be observant and learn from your experiences. Time spent in good habitat will result in close encounters and shot opportunities. Being ready when they are presented is the challenge. It often happens quickly when you least expect it so try to be ready at all times. I get antsy if I don't have my bow in hand with an arrow knocked during daylight, especially hunting on the ground. Be safe, but be ready.
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Archie - going off what you wrote I think you are on tthe right track.
Couple a thoughts: One is it is healthy to not be satisfied with less - dream big - then go live those dreams.
Mentors are good. Sharing a camp with experienced hunters is fun and will help. I have shared camps and been profoundly influenced and inspired and learned a lot from other sucessful hunters.
Reading is good - talking more here about books - I can get you a list of you like. Really like your mention of a journal - we keep them and use them. Most importantly we use these as we strive to not make the same mistake twice and by actually writing down shots taken and what gets hit where and what gets recovered will teach you 'good' is not 'good enough'
Don't settle - we hunt year round - everyone can - its attitude - commitment - and state of mind - we are not big on excuses.
Interesting mention of 5%/95% and truthfully I never heard that before - and I see mention of 50%/50% ?? I wouldn't know but both could be correct for two different approaches to bowhunting - I might be 2% tackle 98% huntiing :)
I think the next first step might be for you to decide "what" IS "sucessful" in your opinion - then map a way to reach that goal. This bowhunting thing is more about the road traveled than the destination - BUT you might just pass beyond your goals - we sure did.
Good Luck and Good Hunting
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