The Criteria of the land brings up a very good point. We live in central illinois and there is supposed to be a 150 behind every tree right? Granted there is quite a few big deer around where I live but there is some spots where there isnt. There are 1000 acre pockets of timber/ag ground that just have better genetics than other spots. I don't necessarily look for any certain thing when checking out farms. I think you just have to get a history with it to find out. There are very few deer under 120 inches shot in a years time within 5 miles of my house but that doesnt mean theres a bunch of 170s running around either. As far as what I look for in a piece of ground. I would say access is my #1 if you cant get in and out theres no reason to hunt it. A big deer can live anywhere Sometimes the smallest of spots hold big deer.
For me it is the fact that I have access to property with mature deer and the fact that I dont hunt until there is a high probability of catching mature deer on their feet during shooting hours. A lot of guys go into the areas that hold mature deer way too early in the season and handicap themselves by letting those deer know they are being hunted.
I gotta agree with Fletch. To me location Is the number one factor. More mature bucks around Is no doubt going to help your success. One can't argue that. I also know a good share of people who hunt good land but can't for the life of them get It done for reasons Fletch stated and over hunting. I haven't shot allot of nice bucks but my expectations are high for the area I hunt. More then likely too high. Some year It's going to pay off though. I'm willing to eat my tag as I do that quite often anyway. lol!!
I consistently wander around like an idiot on the public land I hunt and consistenly pick crooked trees to climb in dumb looking spots.
I have been hunting for a total of six years now. I know I still have an infinite amount of knowledge to gain. For me I have gotten a buck every year and one year I got two. Very few have been trophies by most people'a standards but everyone is a trophy by mine. Knowledge of the land is probably my biggest. My dad and grandpa have been hunting where I do for over 30 years. We all know the usual runways that get used every year. The scrape lines that are there year in and year out. With this knowledge, I can get into the area where I want to put a stand very easily and clean and get out quick. My next biggest factor is probably persistence. That doesn't mean I spend every weekend in the woods, I get maybe three weekends for bow season and the two weekends for rifle season. But when I am down there, I spend as much time as possible in the woods. Other than that I read a lot on the subject and try something new, if the conventional isn't working, give something new a whirl. Cole
I scout every chance I get, I'm always scouring maps looking for overlooked spots, talk to a lot of landowners, and I can take vacation from work anytime i want. I try to be realistic when it comes to killing bucks. I try to kill good bucks for this area, not what I see on tv. If a buck is +/- 100", its getting shot. In the last 7 years, I've lived in 5 different PA counties and have killed a buck every year. I shot a really nice 9 point back on Oct. 8th of this year and yet I walked 5+ miles over the weekend on some new public land scouting for next year. Now that we're stable in where we live/work, i'm trying to build my list of spots where i know i'll see deer. It's nice to know i'll be able to hunt my current spots next season and not be starting over completely.
My key to consistency is alot of time to hunt through out the season, persistance, and using different tactics. I get the time by saving most of my vacation and my wife alows me to follow my passion. It's easy for me to have persistance because I love bowhunting and all its challenges! The different tactics I use depends on what time of the season. My favorite is still-hunting and scouting for fresh deer sign.
While I've hunted all my life, this is my 5th year hunting whitetails. A whole new game to me. I've done a TON of homework as most of you have, and had my share of good luck. I've been blessed to have taken 7 bucks and passed on a bunch of deer under 100 inches. Persistence in scouting, talking to other hunters, reading about whitetail hunting and spending time in a tree have led to the success I've had in my short career as a whitetail hunter. I sat over 100 hours the first year I hunted and saw 9 deer. I could have quit and part of me wanted to...but I kept reading, watching Primos videos, hiking, asking, asking some more, hiking...you get the idea. I have to credit my son of all people for getting me into hunting whitetails and sharing his insight.
Here's another question I suppose could be asked. On average, how many different properties are all of you hunting each season?
This year i have at least 15 different spots that i felt were worth hunting. So far i've hunted 8 of them. I actually prefer public land spots, they tend to be less crowded than the smaller private properties. If 5 of those spots are worthy of me hunting next year, i'll be really happy.
I'm hunting 1 property. It's roughly 400 private acres comprised of 30% agricultural, 30% bottom land oak timber, and 40% native grasses/CRP. What I just described is a big reason why I've had success in my short bowhunting career.
Hell im in I see really nice deer but just cant figure them out! But I will sit easy 20 to 25hr a week! That might be my problem to much time in the woods in to small an area! But id rather be sittin there then anywhere else! Good hunting!
I guess my number one would be time I'm allowed in stand. What separates me from people in my area or that I personally hunt with? What buckeye said for the most part. Don't become complacent and rely on honey holes in the past or go to stand such and such just because. I am more intuitive/aggressive and go to kill them instead of hoping they will come to me. Sometimes simply putting the "textbook" down and following your hunting instincts pays off. Other than that I simply try to outwork the next guy and am persistent at what I do (with anything). Probably a little more knowledge of deer in general as well. Disclaimer: This is compared to my hunting buddies and around here. I don't believe I begin to stack up as far as knowledge and consistency with a lot of the members here.
For me its the amount of time I can hunt, time for scouting/searching for large bucks(far and few between here for the really big horned ones), access to those areas that have quality bucks and few other hunters(not much of that left anymore). I spent 6 yrs(up until 3yrs ago) not shooting any bucks and passing on many 3.5 yr olds that were just about there only to have them shot by the neighbors(some out their back windows/doors), hit by cars, or violated. I consistantly see many good mature deer and still pass on the ones I hope make it but have started shooting the ones I feel like shooting when I feel like shooting them(smaller 6pts with no browtines...the 8pts that I have seen way to often and under conditions that tell me they aren't smart/wild enough to make it...). Anyway I am a meat hunter and shoots a lot of does at home and I also love my muzzleloader and the muzzleloader season as hardly anyone else is out where I am any more come december...then the good bucks that are left are extremely wary after the pressure of rifle season, also know they are the smarter ones to have survived. These are the greatest challenge and I love sneaking up on them in thier beds...they aren't huge by any means but they are mature and tough to hunt and therefor very rewarding after a days worth of stalking/tracking/stillhunting and bringing home for the freezer. BTW - I pass on an average of 20 young bucks a year(multiple times), 5-10 mid range bucks depending on whats around(I usually get to at least see every one of them at least once). However any gray muzzle gets it if oppurtunity presents itself and doesn't matter what size the rack is...though this isn't often and I usually fill the tags with does at the end. btw- 95% total and all(last 8yrs)lately of my doe harvests are with a bow and most are mid december til Christmas...until this year as I don't feel like making it a job and 'have to' hunt in that crappy weather(wet snows or brutal cold and wind) so I am whacking them now when I know I will have the time to butcher - I Know I can go out 9 of 10 days this time of year and have a shot at one so there is no pressure...late Dec there is no patterning here and they are spooky and looking up as well after having learned danger is up there after 3 months of pressure.
Loved Clinton's post, here's I guess what I'd say is my top 5: -WILLING TO GROW: I refuse to ever stop growing or absorbing information from others or the deer themselves. -REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS: I know my properties and don't expect more than I know they'll produce. -TRYING TO NOT OVER-HUNT: Not having many places or tons of land (I'm a small acre guy honestly) this is a tough one for me and I know at times I fail at it, but I try my best to keep my intrusions minimal...one of the many reasons I'll all day hunt when I can (it cuts your entrances and exits in half for the day). -SKILL: Like Clinton said, you gotta have the ability to accomplish the end results you desire. Some have more skill than others but practice does make you better. You can have the best property, best stand location, best wind, best camo, best bow but if you haven't built or have a skill set to put the arrow where it needs to be you're wasting your time. -LUCK: Sometimes it is all just simply about being in the right place at the right time either by design or by God's sheer grace.
Now I'm not an expert buck slayer all though I've played one on TV. The most collective responce to your inquiry for me is time spent in the woods. I feel/believe the less time in the woods enables the buck to move during the day time. the more visits to the woods makes the bucks feel uneasy and they stay put until dark. Another factor for me is letting the young ones go eventually they will grow up and become bigger bucks, but only if they are passed on when they are young. Alot of people suggest that someone will kill that small buck this year, so it might as well be me. that could be true, but you'll never know for sure unless you let them pass. there is a certain joy in watching a small buck grow up under your stand. The last factor is get in the woods really early. For me a lot of my bucks were killed right at first light and had I just walked up to my stand they would have probably caught me. I always get in at least an hour before daylight. times when I didn't get in that early I didn't seen as many deer if any. Just worth noting. Most of the people that I know who kill mature bucks everyyear shot them around noon, so stay in your stand.
Put me in the "suck at hunting mature bucks" club too. Before I began to hold out for mature bucks only, I was very consistent. I killed a buck pretty much every year, along with several does. Of course, most hunters with any experience will probably have a good chance of killing "a" buck if they spend enough time out there and can do a little homework. I think for me, the biggest factor I run into that keeps me from being consistent now is the lack of mature bucks on the lands I hunt. You just can't kill what isn't there. If I lowered my standards I know I could be more consistent. I'm actually contemplating that, its just not that fun sitting out there day after day, season after season - hoping to kill what amounts to a needle in a haystack. Or, I could choose to go hunt places that DO have the bucks I want to take. Haven't wanted made that move yet - I'm not at a point in my life where I feel I have the time or energy to do that. For me location and time to hunt are probably the most important factors.
I have to agree with those statements, particularly with how it seems to fit my scenario. I truly believe that my property does not hold good bucks. Do they enter onto the property? Absolutely. Outside of the rut, it's VERY rare to see a 2.5yr old or older. 99% of my sightings are doe. As I said, trail camera photos from all sides of the property run from April through September, yielded three mature bucks, all of which were off the property line, and all within about a two week time period. I've yet to see a scrape line in about 4 years, aside from the occasional field edge scrape. No visible rub lines, aside from the occasional rub here or there. Overhunting is a possibility, but again, my doe sightings would reflect that, and I see the same numbers throughout the season (I do pick stands for solid entry and exits only, and as I said earlier, I'm very attentive to wind and scent). I could look for more land to hunt, but given my work schedule, the land has to be close, and we're surrounded by farmers who hunt themselves, or their family hunts. It's a no go for hunting on the property that borders us to the East, and the one that borders our Northern edge as well as our southern side. The west side is unhuntable. I THINK this may be where I come to a point where I need to make a decision as to whether I'm happy with having a doe rich ground and getting the opportunity to take one or two every year, with the hopes of the occasional 2.5+, or I need to suck it up, and try finding new locations if possible.
You know what feels awesome? Scouting out and finding a big buck... Formulating a plan to set up on him... Then dragging him out. To me it isn't about the where it happens at (your land, public land etc) it is about the act of putting in the work and making it happen. Give it your all one season... If it isn't for you at least you will know and not look back down the road with regrets for not trying.
I have an idea up my sleeve for my cabin land next year. It's going to be a challenge given the land size (~1200 acres), the terrain, and the pressure, but it may be just what I need for a change of pace for next year...but I may some help and advice along the way:D
