You experts.......please teach me to hunt!!

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I have been shooting traditional bows for about three years (off and on.....lately more off than on   :(  ).  However, thanks to a recent purchase of an Dryad Orion; I will once again try to chase critters around the woods.  I gave up traditional archery last year becuase some of the places I hunt...the land owner allows bow hunting but not with traditional equipment    .  Well, praise God, my cousin recently aquired some land from his grandfather and has given me the opportunity to hunt it (for free    )!!!!!  (He won't leave the city limits unless he has too!!)

Well I put up a couple of feeders last year and attached is copy of the land and feeder set up.  

Just so everyone knows, in Texas here we had alot of rain last year a great acorn crop....so hogs did not come to the feeders with any regularity....  :(    :(  

I need your help with getting into better hunting position for a long bow.  I have shot a wheelie bow, but yet to take anything with traditional equipment or on this property.   Here is the picture of the property; the key will come later.


 

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http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/mexiaHunt.jpg

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Red with red X = Feeders
Brown = Camp
Green Spots = Hog Sightings/Pictures
Pink Dot = 1 Deer Pic
Blue = Water

Trees are oaks, open areas are grass fields, very litte terrain change....

(I checked the photo size and properties said...smaller than what is posting here...)

[TNstickn]

If you can keep feeding them at the same times(dawn and dusk) Pigs and Deer usually pattern themselves. Are your spottings day, night, am, pm. Direction of tavel will help on the water source side. Any bedding areas of note. How about hog wallows (mud pits) near the water/feeders. Hot pigs and deer will hit the water more than once if its easy for them. Spend some time walking the property lines and after four or five trips it will start looking clear, the ins and outs. Best of luck! Slow down and enjoy your scouting trips. It will pay off for you!-Greg

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Hey Greg,
I had the feeders go off a the same time in the morning and afternoon for months.

Believe it or not, I actually witness the pigs feeding on grasses and acorns around the corn...    !!!  I couldn't believe it the first time I saw it and thought it was a fluke, but then I kept seeing it and noticed the abundance of acorns on the ground.  

Bedding areas seem to be to the southwest of the feeders in the thick brush next to the swamp.

Thanks for the advice!!!!

[clear]

It wont help you now but get a rake and rake them acorns up and put them the freezer. When they are running out(on the ground) just put some of them around where you hunt and look out!

[Bowman0202]

Ben, I think one of the best ways to hunt with a longbow is sitting on a 3 legged stool. It's easy to move with, easy to sit on and easy to shoot from. I don't know what part of our fine state you're from, but I hunt south TX below Victoria on property with much Mesquite.  It's usually easy to set up at the base of a large bush on a trail and have them walk within 15 ft of you. Hunt the wind!!!

Practice with your bow from positions you are in while hunting - sitting on stool, kneeling, sitting flat on the ground, etc.

By the way, you might look into hunting Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, located on BlackJack Penninsula between Rockport and Port Lavaca. It's a blast - costs $60.00 and have roughly 30,000 acres to hunt the first 10 days of October every year. Lots of Hawgs, deer and a few    mosquitoes.

Sounds like you're in for a good time this season.

Blessings,  Tim

[TNstickn]

This year build you a ground blind near the acorn producers. Cover your backside so you dont silhouette yourself,giving yourself plenty of room to move around for any shot. Its hard hog hunting around my area becauae of all the ag crops and deer feeders. If you push'em to hard they leave, go over to the next farm/feeder sets.(Lots of deer hunters/Food plots everywhere!!!)
Hogs are very smart,very leary after they've been "messed" with. Acorns will get eaten up, sooner or later, keep feeding them, thats your hot spots. Keep us posted on you adventures!!-Greg

[J-dog]

I have always said you may spend a bit of time learning the land and how animals move through the land but then you got em. With trad you just need to fine tune what you learned with the wheelie bow. You will have fun this season for sure.

Don't forget the pics!

J

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I will definately put the story and the pics online.  I intend to walk the place (like mentioned above) next week to get a good idea on the travel routes of the property.  More to come....

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Any comment on the stand locations as it pertains to the environment?  The water is really a swamp...and the oak trees where the feeder is (west side of property, bottom of picture) is right in the middle of the a set of acorn trees.  Thoughts?

[Shaun]

Put up a ladder stand in some place where you can see lots of your hunting area and watch. You will see game movement and be able to decide where to set up for ambush. Take your bow, you may set have game come by even when you think you are just scouting.

[Van/TX]

Forget the feeders.  Stalk, put up a ladder stand, ground blind.  You said it  

I will once again try to chase critters around the woods.  

Hard to chase critters at a feeder.  Have fun    ...Van