Well, walk in blind this morning to s spot I've never been but that looked good on a map. I just passed on the biggest buck I've ever let walk. No giant but a good 8. Hope I don't regret it Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
It is hard to do but we all know that is what you have to do if you want to kill a monster. I have ate tag soup two years in a row doing this. I regretted it but still know it was the right thing to do. Sent from my XT1254 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Honestly, I would have killed it in a heartbeat, had I gotten the feeling it was a mature deer, but he still looked young to me. I've been lucky to tag a number of 3.5-6.5 yo bucks over the years, with various methods, but they've all been "small" to most people. I've only ever killed 1 that would gross over 130. You have more willpower than I to go years passing smaller bucks. I'm not to that point yet lol Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
I am lucky have lots of does for canonfodder lol Sent from my XT1254 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
That does help lol. I hunt 99% public land, with a relatively low population compared to most places. I love hunting it, but it can be frustrating at times. Last year i had 39.5 hours in stand before I had a decent opportunity at a doe. Large expanse of rough country, coupled with huge numbers of acorns everywhere... Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Wow don't know that I could stand that I shot my first one this year after maybe 8 hours lol I guess I am just lucky haven't ever had to hunt any other way. Going out this morning and fighting the Young guns hopefully they will be coming in late and run a beast from a surrounding property in Sent from my XT1254 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
I'm curious what you guys think of the October lull idea? Traditionally I have had less sightings during that time but I'm not sure if I have not been proactive enough to keep up with the food sources or if the deer have gotten smarter b/c of pressure or it's the lull. I notice less camera pics but again that may be changing food. I do have another theory though, and I think it has some merit. As the bucks begun bumping does around, the does tire quickly of being harassed and figure it's easier to stay out of the common areas and just feed in the bedding/thick brush areas. The deer didn't disappear and they still need to eat, so where do we find them? Also, I'm sure less daylight plays a part to not seeing as many. Thoughts? Sent from my XT1080 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Most of what I've seen is the deer especially muture bucks don't move as much during daylight during the lull. My Trail cameras show this too. The food sources change from crop fields to foods like persimmon and acorns, which tend to be in thicker cover. Also that first 10 days of October the deer are witnessing the most human pressure they have seen all year. I think a combination of all of this especially with hunting pressure contribute to the lull. I feel like when the rut is getting close, around from the 23rd to the 26th, the lull is over and daylight activity will start to increase. I believe this is because scrape activity increases and the bucks are ready for the rut. Sent from my SM-S120VL using Tapatalk
Never had an October LULL. Every October it the Launch of the Rut IN WI and in East TX. By mid Nov. you got issues. Thanksgiving is the biggest coin toss in both places. They all stick to to deep hard woods that i have found. In WI the bucks go hill side high and bed down over looking the draws for other bucks moving in. Rattles and Grunts are good to use if you are not seeing anything. Does will move in groups like women to the bathroom usually 3-5 at a time and are usually up hill most of the day an come down to feed an bed seeing it warmer in the valleys. Just my experience over the past 30 years.
This in my opinion is the "lull". Changing food sources and pressure Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Its easy to get discouraged sometimes. I prefer to get a doe early for meat and to take the pressure off. Heavy acorn years are the hardest to hunt. I have access to a bit of private land, but I, oddly enough maybe, prefer the public. Room to explore (I rarely hunt the same spot twice in a year, unless it's super promising), and it has its own challenges to conquer Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
I have killed the vast majority of my archery deer from the same tree for the last 4-5 years Sent from my XT1254 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Love the girls going to the bathroom analogy :-) Sent from my XT1710-02 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Funnel area or food stop? That must a great location. I have some favorites but I tend to move around trying to find a better angle/wind advantage. Couple places produce yearly. Am I to assume not much pressure from other hunters? In PA the biggest battle is people. Couple yrs ago I got 6 guys and 0 deer in my food plot for the entire 2 weeks of rifle season, daylight or dark. After season, deer came right back into it. Sent from my XT1710-02 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
No pressure to speak of just myself and one other guy. It is a huge oak tree on a funnel up a rock bluff and it is the only place they can get up it for 500 yards either direction. Oh and it sets on the edge of a little field and a huge oak flat. I just have to make sure that I don't over hunt it. Sent from my XT1254 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Got out tonight but got busted by one that smelled me. Saw a flick of turkeys and deer at my car waiting for me to come out Sent from my XT1710-02 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Ok thx. I rarely hunt the same spot more than one or two times in a year. Been out 11 times so far and only twice in the same tree but everywhere I hunt I have other people to deal with. It seems the battle is figuring out where the deer are and the people haven't been. I usually see deer when I get that combo right. All the property is private but is either a group lease or open to hunting. Sent from my XT1710-02 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Proud papa this evening took the day off to let the Young one hunt Sent from my XT1254 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Congrats! Awesome to see kids out hunting. Sent from my XT1710-02 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
