The hours logged thread and the subsequent responses had me thinking. For a few years after graduating college (2007), I finally had more time to hunt. No kids meant I was hunting every evening during the weeks, and Saturday mornings, evenings, and all day sits during the rut. During this time, I kept a journal logging hours, weather, observations, moon phase, etc. Obviously anecdotal observations told me I was overhunting, a bit, but never anything terrible. What was more troubling, is breaking down the dates of harvest. All does were taken in early October close to our opener, at roughly 90% of my sightings prior to October 25th were doe, fawns, and 1.5yr olds. All of my bucks (with the exception of one) were taken in November. Granted, this isn't earth shattering news, but it reinforced this idea that, while everyone's situation is unique, for me, hunting all of those days early in the season day in and day out weren't gaining me anything. Were they hurting? Most likely. This season, partially out of choice, and partially due to other priorities right now, I'm taking a much more efficient approach to all of this. I'm hunting less, not hunting high winds, warm end of fronts, and of course any winds that simply don't play to any of my spots. I'm still seeing deer, had 30 shot opportunities, took one (doe), and have seen 50+. All in just 8 sits this season so far. I will most likely shift out of this phase a bit as the month closes and we enter November as I know seat time is ideal, but outside of the rut, I'm thinking efficiency is a much better practice that quantity in my case. Now, I'm nowhere near as efficient as some of the guys here who can hang a set and kill that day. THAT'S not wasting time, but...baby steps, right? :D So where do you stand (no pun intended)? Do you feel maximizing every second in a tree is far better than simply taking advantage of the right situation? Or do you feel hanging back and being more selective as to when you hunt is the better route?
This year Ive been doing both. I split the farm in half and left the better half for bucks alone until the rut. The other half I've hunted hard and had my fun shooting does and bringing the kids out. I don't think I'd be happy not being in the woods during early season, I just love to be out there.
I do not hunt early season, I don't take a doe until my buck tag is filled so I usually put off hunting until Halloween. I spent a total of 4.5 hours sitting in a stand last season took an 8 point and a mature doe
I like to log hours in the stand because it lets me observe, film, and inventory deer. I go to the stand for more than just to kill a deer. I estimate that I typically sit anywhere from 10-16 hours per week in the stand during the early season and by late October and through November, I may put in 20 hours a week. But with that said, if a mature doe or one of the bucks I'm after shows up you better bet I will take the shot if one presents itself regardless of when it is.
I pretty much feel the same way. I hunt way less this year than I have in years past and I'm seeing probably more deer than I have before. It's hard though because the last few years have gotten me in the habit of working early and through lunch every day so I can get a couple of hours in the stand that night and then hunt all day saturday, evenings on sundays. I'm trying to break the habit and only go out on the weekends.
I picked up some new properties this year, so I've been able to hunt as much as possible and still be selective. It's been awesome, where as most years I had to dial back early season sits for fear of burning out stands. If it did come to it where I was back to one property, I'd probably put in less time until the rut. I've got other hobbies (waterfowl, upland, fishing) that could fill the void in October, if need be.
I have never been able to hunt during the week until this year... So I am taking advantage of it. I've messed up some great opportunities but I'm treating them as learning experiences. I'm also in the tree for more reasons than to just kill a deer... I will admit that I believe I have overhunted certain spots, but it doesn't bother me because at the end of the day it really doesn't matter if I have killed the biggest deer in the woods, there will always be other chances. I have seen deer every sit this year and that is good enough for me... If the biggest buck I have on cam doesn't show himself, so be it. The few months of our deer season allows me to get away from the monotony of work and allows me to be in the woods... Which is what I love.
If you want to hunt a ton just add properties. I don't get too excited in October and will hit it hard starting November unless Moultrie says something different.
The saying, "right place, right time" is very true. Before the kiddos were old enough to do things with, other than feed and change diapers, I spent way more time in the stand. But after the way it worked out last year I try to spend the days that look to be the "best" in the stand based on weather, pressure, wind, and time of the year. I have my camera's do most of the survey work. Early isn't very good for me where I hunt right now. The acorn crop is on an adjacent property. The food plots on the property I hunt work for later in the year. I can whack the occasional doe right now but I just try to stay out of there for a while. I checked the camera's day before yesterday and it looks like there are a couple of decent bucks on there. We'll see how it goes. It is supposed to be almost 80 this weekend here so I won't know this weekend.
The past two years I have been hunting smarter and have definitely seen an increase in activity. I don't have the average in front of me but I can't remember the last time I was skunked. Another thing that has helped is hunting in different spots. I have 30 hours on the stand but at least 10 was spent on public land. Now when it comes to November I will be hunting whenever I can, but still considering the wind, etc.
One thing I've learned while observing some of the better hunters on this site for 12+ years now is that the guys that consistently kill mature bucks tend to have a lot of access to property. It's not always top end property, but they have many options. Many of them are simply expanding their opportunities through use of public land, or a large network of private. I don't think there is anything wrong with the quantity approach but you aren't going to get best results using 4 stands on a 100 acre piece of property. I've done too much of this in the past thinking I could manage that property to produce better results. It's just not possible unless you have a pretty rare piece of property or 500+ acres. I have 250 acres of prime property leased right now but my main objective this winter is to get intimately familiar with the 1500 acres of public land that is within a few miles of my current spot. If I can maintain that lease for next year I'll supplement it with the public land to always be having fresh sits, and if I lose the lease I'll have something else to fall back on if I can't find another lease.
I should probably make it clear that I'm not unhappy with the lower hours in a stand. In fact, it's the opposite. I'm not seeking out more places to hunt for a reason at this moment. I've kept myself more than busy on the evenings I'm not hunting. While I'm not actively seeking new ground to hunt, it's really not an option. Circumstances that are beyond the scope of this discussion make locating new ground that can be hunted within driving distance out of the question. In a sense, I make what I have work for me. While hunting 4 stands on 100 acres repeatedly may not give you the success you're looking for, being more selective can. Ty on here does it all of the time. I've been fortunate enough to have pretty good success with it as well (4 bucks in 5 years). Now if we're talking having a buck pegged and a set hung to kill on a moment's notice given the right conditions, with limited land, you're not always guaranteed to have that (I know I don't). If I had quality public land and/or neighbors willing to allow hunting, I might jump at the chance to get myself into the woods more, but it looks like stand time will only decline over time with life anyways. But, that's another topic for a different day :D
I'm in a tree from opening day until they tell me I'm not allowed in the woods anymore with my bow. I just can't see putting all the time and energy all year into something you live for to finally get here and stay home and not hunt (if/when you are able to). I was going to post something similar to this. Seems to be the new thing lately. Don't hunt mornings... don't hunt until november... dont' hunt until bucks show up on cams....dont hunt when warm... don't hunt full moon.... dont' go near bedding areas....etc... HUNT!!!! KILL STUFF!!! It's hunting season. It's what its all about. I'm not saying go rambo and hunt your best stands morning and night every single day, but there are ways to be out in the woods and hunt whenever you want. Maybe it's just me. I was never good at doing what I was "supposed" to do.
I'm a hang back kind of deer hunter. I usually wait till the 3rd week of October till I hit the woods and start getting a little more serious.
I don't hunt near as hard as I use to...I don't really care if I kill a deer or not anymore. But I still enjoy getting out in the woods. Could have killed a few really good bucks the past couple year's.....but I'm after a specific buck and he's been kicking my ***, it's been a lot of fun.
I don't think it's a matter of what you're "supposed" to do. Everyone has their own approach. I'm trying something different based on my situation. I THINK it's the better of the two options. It certainly isn't for everyone. Especially those who have access to enough ground to keep spots rotated. You certainly do make a good point about hunting when it's hunting season. After all, it's only here for a short while. If you are able to, I think you're crazy not to. If I am ever able to pick up additional ground, I could definitely see me being a little less selective and less worried about burning out spots.
I like both as well. For my "Rut spot" in our woods, I haven't hunted it yet. I spend way more time moving cams, scouting, freshening mineral sites, cutting shooting lanes, digging ponds and making other improvements. Come the first two weeks of November, I move in, especially during gun season when the deer are being pushed around. It wouldn't be unusual for me to hunt the same stand 3 days in a row if its absolute primetime and different bucks are coming through searching for the ladies. But right now, I keep the ladies comfortable and stay out of their way. lol. Not to say I don't intrude upon their home. I actually don't get this, stay out of there until the rut mentality. If they get used to you and figure out your routine (check the cams and move them every Friday at Noon), they tend to deal with it. And accept your presence and smell in urban and farm country where I hunt. In fact, I've found if I pass them on my mountain bike, they just stand there. If I walk by them, they run. So guess what I'll be riding to the stand in the mornings near our place during the rut. I just wouldn't hunt them in a stand right over their bedding area for 3 days in a row like I might during the rut. A little different. I guess in summary, I do a lot more scouting and tinkering around than actual hunting. And I think that can often lead to just as much if not more success than if you were to spend most of your time hunting and less scouting.
