Hunt Lesson #1

[Wednesday Caste]

This year was my 1st deer season.  On our 2nd (and final) outing this season for mule deer, we failed to spot any deer and was a little disappointed since we worked hard to get into this little beautifully valley in nowhere-but-there north/central NV.  The 14 y/o neighbor's boy I took started to talk about his rifle season later on next month as we made our way out of the valley with our bows strapped to our packs since our archery season was "over".  Hiked it up a ridge, along some deer trails we had the wind blowing into our face cooling us off.  We were talking about how much easier it would be to come in the way we were exiting and as we rounded the side of the ridge...busted.  We heard what we could only assume to be a large deer running across some loose rocks and making a lot of ruckus but was never seen or heard again except for some fresh pellets.  Douoh!!!
Lesson #1: The hunt is not over until you get back to camp.  Keep your gear in hand just in case.
Any other words of wisdom for our 2nd year?
Quinn

[wtpops]

no it goes like this

Lesson#1 the hunt begins when you leave camp. Then

Lesson#2 the hunt does not end until you get back to camp  

[Wednesday Caste]

wtpops,
Good point.  Lessons 1 and 2 covered.
Anyone for lesson #3?

[vermonster13]

#3 Wind in face whenever possible.
#4 Plenty of time to talk in truck after hunt, woods time is quiet time.

[Shaun]

1 practice
2 be prepared
3 pick a spot
4 hunt hungry

[Bjorn]

If you hunt on the ground it is really hard to go too slow; or be too quiet.

[frassettor]

Originally posted by vermonster13:
.
#4 Plenty of time to talk in truck after hunt, woods time is quiet time.

Dave, someone should tell my brother in law this one! Talks all the way in      

[BEN]

ALWAYS expect a deer to be coming!!

(I've had several deer come up on me because i just climbed my tree, got hooked in and everything ready to go, and thought, "now to relax a couple minutes after all that racket and fuss". Then "What the Heck!!" there's a deer right under me and I'm not alert, ready, or anything and he/she's doesn't even act like anything is amiss., and on it's merry way it goes while I'm trying to kick myself in a tree-stand.  

[tamure]

#5 - If you accidentally bust a deer, don't assume that that necessarily means there are no more deer in the area.

#6 - If you are spot-and-stalking, and spot some deer up on a hill, always assume that there are more deer there than you can see. Keep this in mind when you start to get close, and keep an eye out for them.

#7 - Hunt where the deer are. Scout. If you don't see any while scouting, go somewhere else. Find water. They like bitterbrush and love alfalfa.

#8 - If you're waiting in ambush, don't spend too long watching those deer way up on the mountain through your binoculars. You'll miss the deer that walks 5 yards behind you.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I have learned to NEVER leave camp w/o my bow no matter what, even if it is just to find a 'bush' to squat in, you never know....  

[Wednesday Caste]

Originally posted by tamure:
#8 - If you're waiting in ambush, don't spend too long watching those deer way up on the mountain through your binoculars. You'll miss the deer that walks 5 yards behind you.

Kerry,
Funny you should mention this. We were sitting on a ridge glassing the aspen filled valley 1/2 mile below.  We talked about how hard it would be if we did see a deer down there, sneak down the open ridge, stick it, and hike it back up and out- when all along there was one (you're further right- if not more) just within 100yds.    

Did you get out for a 2nd hunt in your units?

Shaun,  I like "hunt hungry"!  Makes it purposeful.  

[Wednesday Caste]

#9 Plan your hunt; Hunt your plan.
We hunted all the way to valley we planned to sit on to glass the deer.  Unfortunately, we got side tracked and spent way too much time on 2 other ridges putting us way behind our schedule for the really good valley we wanted to hunt.  Probably would have had better opportunities arriving earlier had we stuck with the plan.

[vermonster13]

Be the first there and last to leave.

[MI_Bowhunter]

#10 Thermocell.

#11 Hunt too and from the stand/location, not just at the stand location.   I've seen as many or more deer going to and from my hunting location as I have while hunting the stand

[GrnMtnTradNut]

#10 do not talk about huntin' with the boom stick, it gives bad mojo when bow huntin'.