how well you know your land that you hunt? I've been hunting the same pieces (pretty much) for over 20 years. I simply know a lot about them (one in particular). I know bedding areas, food, how to hunt crop rotation, funnels, pre rut, rut, post rut area, where bucks like to roam during each etc......... I dont' rely on past history for everything, but quite a bit to be honest. I got wondering how good (or not) I'd be if I was plopped in a totally new area. I honestly don't think I'd be half as successful. I'm sure I'd be able to figure something out, but the learning curve would be long I believe. I'd rely on the obvious deer hunting 101 basics. Food, bed, how to get there and obvious pinch points. I have a lot of respect for those that can look at aerials, topos, do a quick scout and be successful. Not sure I'm that good. Hell I'm not even that good on the land I know like the back of my hand lol. Just something I got thinking about on hour 98,456 on stand this year. What do you think? Would you be just as good on a new piece of land? How long until you felt like you had it "figured out"?
I've always been better on new pieces of ground. Always. Seems it allows me to focus on whats going on now.. and adapt a quick strategy to take a deer.. a buck. I have no pre-conceived notions of what the bucks are doing.. simply what they should be doing.. going off timing of year.. terrain.. and sign have always been my best friends. Property I find that I've hunted too long.. gives me a false sense of knowing where to be today.. instead I find myself going where I know it was good yesterday. If that makes any sense. I prefer a new piece of ground.. and I've been fortunate enough to be successful very quickly on many a new piece. I think alot of people would surprise themselves on new ground. If they wanted too.
I think thats been my problem all year overthinking everthing so much that idont know what to do at times
Interesting question. I'd like to think that I'm better when it comes to spending more time on our place, but there are just too many limiting factors.
I've hunted the same 90 acres since I was 12. Granted, only the past three seasons have I really started hunting smart, scouting, etc, rather than hunting stands based on tradition from what I grew up with. With that being said, it's comforting to somewhat know the land you hunt, but like was said, it can be hard to fight of the urge to do something based off past experience (granted, that's not always a bad thing). I will sometimes find myself hunting a spot more than I should simply because that stand SHOULD produce based on what I saw during past seasons, and that's not always the best move. Comfort can be a good and bad thing.
i've hunted the same land for the most part all my hunting life. i feel and my dad agrees that my brother and i know more about our land and the surrounding area than anyone. however that being said you'd be surprised at how your knowledge of land and deer movement patterns would transfer to a "new" property. i went to my friends land last year and set him up where i thought the deer would pass thru. i looked at a 6 year old topo map of his hunting land, and then walked out one time, told him where i'd go and he shot a great buck in late oct. never underestimate yourself ny bowhunter, your alot better than you probly think
Forces people to follow their gut and offers little argument to second guess. I can get with this line of thought. Edit: there is something to "learning" new land though. This year was my second year on my new primary hunting land and I feel really good about next year in respects to setups and where I have to have a few "go to" stands. Just can't get locked in too much and ignore what's being put on the table in season.
I agree with Duke. I've taken two of my biggest deer the last 2 years, both on new properties. One on the 3rd day of hunting, the other on the 2nd. I'm sure I'll always have some standby properties, but moving around and trying new places is not only fun, but can also produce some awesome results with some hard work....
If you go by my numbers, I'm getting better and better on my lands the longer I hunt them. My primary hunting grounds I have pretty much tapped out. I know where I need to "put" myself if I want to kill a doe, and where I need to put myself to have my best opportunity at a buck. I killed my buck this year on my 4th sit of "buck" hunting. It was a stand I hung in the summer, and didn't sit until I thought the time was right. First sit- Was a morning sit, turned up nothing Second sit-3 days later, afternoon sit, passed a 7pt and a doe. Third sit- Afternoon, nothing Fourth sit- Morning, kill.
Between school and changing jobs, I've had to find new spots every year since 2005. Its getting old, i'm anxious to be able to have local places that i feel like i have a good handle on.
