Isn't it a sad world when a person has to be pleased that only one stand was stolen. You are not alone in having stuff stolen and it's a shame that some scum individuals who are in the woods, feel the need to take things that don't belong to them. (I will not call them hunters )
Sad thing is, it was the only time I didn't pack out the stand. I hunted the morning, left for a couple hours, then came back in the evening and it was gone.. Makes me think someone saw me go in with a stand and leave without one.. It was a hawk helium so it didn't hurt like if my lone wolf was taken, but $100 goes a long ways to a college kid
Yeah and it still doesn't make it right! You learned a life lesson and are a bit wiser for it. Not happier, but a little wiser. Have a great season David!
I have hunted the national forest in east Texas for 13 years now and love it. After I figured out how to hunt in the big forest, I have been averaging deer in the 125-145 range for a few years now. It spans about 160,000 acres Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Had my first hunt of the year this past Saturday. It was sooooo liberating going into the woods without a climber on my back, also knowing that I could hunt anywhere I wanted to and not be limited to a tree. I got skunked, but a great morning none the less!! Wearing a leaf suit up against a hemlock tree on a series of "shelfs" plenty of white oaks dropping. I'll be heading back out Friday afternoon and will put a good still hunt on, rather then sit. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Headed on my first archery whitetail public land hunt in mid October. Looking forward to learning how you guys do it. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Are you hunting Davy crocket? I am in north east Texas and was thinking about driving down and hunting it. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
If you were mature buck crossing the road you see to the NW, where would you cross? That dot is my stand where I saw a small six that came within 30 yards of me. From that draw to west, the buck entered the opening about 100 yards south of my stand. Open to any and all input. Thanks Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I'm not much help with stand location based on the map but would suggest looking at the prevailing wind and look for trails going to the downwind side of the ridges for deer going to bed. I hunted public land in Wyoming the last six days. Got rain, sleet and snow. It was in the 20's yesterday morning when we crawled out of the tent. I passed up a 5x5 bull and had several encounters with others during the hunt. Last night three cows and two calves walked a trail 26 yards in front of me. The bull went through the trees to cut them off and didn't give me a shot. Awesome hunt. I don't regret letting the first bull walk. Here are a couple pics from yesterday morning.
I'm sorry for the terrible lines. I had to do it on my phone. The lines represent possible deer trails. I would walk each on of the ravines and each one of the ridges to see where deer sign in most noticeable. I would hunt the ravines in the morning and the ridges in the afternoon. I really like the 3rd line down. It has that steep drop off to the one side and gradual slope on the other. If you got a southwest to west wind, I would bet that buck with walk that one. It would allow him to walk that one line but scent check everything to the right and use the thermals to smell anything in the ravine to the left. I am no expert. But that's what I see and what I like. Tell us what ends up happening! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
One of my favorite spots to hunt is not on my private land but on public on a island in the middle of a swamp I have not pulled one out with my bow yet but took this guy opening day of shotgun season. The next year I pulled back on a deer about the same antler mass but twice as tall but right before he got into my shooting lane a smaller 6 point came crashing in and they locked up a bit before the bigger one chased him off. Never came close enough again. I guess my estrus bleat worked that time to get two deer to come in. It was one of my top hunting experiences as he came in the the bleat and I had him working my way using grunt as he was circling around and almost in range the little one came crashing in. Was nice just to watch them but man I wanted that deer. I wasn't able to hunt the island last year because I tagged out right away but this year I plan to sit a couple times at the end of October.
Good stuff zach! Really looking forward to hunting some of the places I scouted this off season. Just try to keep picking up proven rut spots each year. They are hard to find, but when I do I store them away. If I can pick up a few more then I'll be in the chips each hunt ....at least mentally. Lol Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
I've also decided to be 100% more aggressive with these big woods deer. If they are not coming to me, I'll go to them! Being permanently grounded from a treestand is a blessing in disguise. It allows me to finally start still hunting. I used to do it when i was younger and had no patience. Now that I am older, i have more patience. When I think I'm moving slow, I need to slow down. I've also decided to make the switch to a crossbow for some up close and personal hunting. I plan on finding ambush spots a few yards off of travel corridors in the thick Mountain laurel patches, and lay prone in my leaf suit or ghilli suit, during early morning hunts when they are travelling back to bedding areas. I'm also looking at getting one of these bad larrys....$$$$ Perfect for still hunting on long days during the rut. I find a good spot, I set up in or beside a bush. I can hunt anywhere!
love to see the public land hunters! with my limited time now with a young kids, i opted to not hang stands to leave over night on the public grounds this year and I'm going to do run and gun setups which I'm excited to do!!
