Would hunting every day make it easier for you to kill a trophy buck? Personally , I think it might hurt my chances of killing a trophy buck. I only have a limited amount of places to hunt. I could burn them out pretty quickly trying to find a new spot to sit. And if I hunted every day of the season, I would probably get lazy at some point or get burned out and make stupid mistakes. I can go for week or so but every day all season long would really be a grind. Now if I had unlimited access to new areas or could hunt a few different species throughout the season I could see it keeping my interest and maybe paying off with a nice trophy.
I have a goal before I die. I would love to hunt every single day of the season one year. Even if the hunt is only 30 minutes long. I hope to do this one day. It would be a period of great reflection that would mean a lot more to me than just hunting for a buck.
I know I did well over 100 stand sits last year and I truly was burned out at the end of the year... Maybe if I'd been seeing more quality bucks things would have been different.
I have hunted every day from Oct 20th through the end of November or until I get my buck. I've done this for the last 18 years and I think it has worked out pretty well for me. I also hunt very small properties and have learned to hunt with little impact on the deer herd. So, yes, I think it helps.
I think my chances would be better because i have plenty of places to switch it up, but i think i would get burnt out after awhile.
The limited amount of land I hunt would get burnt out pretty quick and I would as well if I hunted every day for the whole season.
I'll get into the woods close to 5 nights a week again this year (mid-sept thru dec31st)... It's mentally straining, but I LOVE IT! I don't think it'll hurt my chances, but I have close to 2000 acres basically to myself:p
If I hunted every day, I am sure my chances at a trophy buck would go up. There really aren't any patterns on my hunting lands, no real bedding areas, and too many food sources to pinpoint a bucks activity. They pretty much wonder around and do whatever they feel like, as well as bedding wherever they end up. I know Rybo has talked about this as he hunts alot of grounds that are very similar to mine in that aspect. The more sits, the more chances I have of a big guy passing by.
In my mind it does because I've always thought it was about time. Though I can see the logic against that theory as well. I guess it would really depend on how many properties and stand locations a hunter has. If he can hunt every day w/out burning out any one location, I would say his chances are much greater. But on the flip side, if that same hunter only has 2 properties hunt and only a few stand locations......time would hurt him.
I honestly think hunting everyday would increase my chance of seeing and shooting a mature buck, I believe after a while it will all pay off eventually and I have enough land and sets to do so. I really would enjoy hunting everyday too :D.
stand time = production. So yes, without a shadow of a doubt, if I had more time, I'd be more successful.
With the amount of access I have? No. If I had more land to switch it up between, perhaps but I honestly wouldn't want to hunt EVERY day of the season. I like the pace I took last year.
When I was younger I hunted almost every day from mid Sept. thru Dec. 31st. I don't have the time to hunt as much these days but I have killed a lot of big bucks anyway. I believe in the theory "hunt smart not hard". You can't kill them if your not hunting but just going out there without purpose or plan won't get you far. I guess I would say I hunt as often as I have a plan or purpose. Relying on luck or chance hasn't got me very far.
It would have to help...unless you are totally tied down to some small acreage. Even though my private ground is small and limited...if I could go everyday, I would utilize thousands of acres of public ground much better...kind of sounds fun...always envisioned this more once I'm retired and kids all out of house... ...at least if I can't hunt now...I can log on to BH.com!
The last few years Steve and I have been on the road 46-48 days with 32 of them being staright days on the road so 2 sits a day = about 96 sits and yes it is a GRIND but has worked out well for us, But as JM has said we have over 900 acres to bounce around on so we rarely sit the same stand twice back to back..Walt
It takes about 10 gallons of gasoline everytime I go hunting at my preferred public land. I couldn't afford to hunt every day.