Any tips for late season hunting when the leaves are gone??!? The deer are picking me off before I see them!! HELP!! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Get further away from the spot the deer are going to be, get higher up in the air, look for trees that have back cover so you aren't silhouetted, and stop moving so much.
For concealment I would recommend a few tips Make sure to be in a tree that helps break up your background Stay put, try to limit your movement Do your best to stay off your phone (seeing the deer first is very important, if you're distracted they will see you before you see them) Try to be up to around 16-18 feet. You may have to move higher if the trees don't have a lot of concealment. Move your stand (If the deer have already been educated on your stand, and know to look for you in the tree), you will have to move it.
look for multiple tree set ups 3 or even 4 tree trunks growing together are super for concealment, white pine tree,s can be very good, a tree with a large main branch about same height as you works, do some brushing in of your own,
My family buys a real Christmas tree every year. I cut off the bottom branches and put them on the tree stand for concealment and cover scent. They tend to last a couple of months if the weather stays cool and the rain fall is normal.
They might be smelling you and coming in looking for what's there plus if you're hunting land that is heavily pressured, the deer will know to look in trees.
It's usually the old does that pick you off. They are creatures of habit. Over hunting stands is the main problem. Firm believer in wearing outer camo that has some ( Knapp) to it. To much being made now with smooth shell that makes you shine. Most of my stands are 12' and I basically never get busted unless I move at the wrong time.
Once the leaves are off I find being high is the best option. I love being on trees with more than one trunk and as someone said seeing them before the see you actually goes a long way. If they see you first you will move and you will be busted. Moving the stand is also an option once you are busted. I tend to not actually move the stand but bring another in with me and hang it, usually take it back out with me as well. Last and most importantly is wind. I never used to hunt wind. And I got picked off a lot. Then I started paying attention to it. Deer still sometimes show up where you don’t want them and in those cases you hope your scent prep is good enough but by and large this has helped me the most even though it is frustrating to find “that” tree at times.
We brush all of our stands in during the early fall. We like to use white oak branches because if you cut them green then they tend to stay on during the entire hunting season. If we need to do some additional touch up during the season after the leaves have fallen we use pine branches which have the added benefit of being quiet. Just had to touch one up this week as a matter of fact.
I agree, hunting height becomes more important when the leaves drop. I almost never hunt lower than 20 feet, and I'm often 25 feet up. Being a tree climber by trade and having basically no fear of heights helps with this.
I like to cut cedar branches and ratchet strap them to the trunk right behind me. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Do your best to stay off your phone (seeing the deer first is very important, if you're distracted they will see you before you see them People treat their phones like small children use their pacifiers. Just do a sit without touching the phone one time and note the difference.
Thanks for the tips guys! Practical and comical, haha. Right now I’m about 14’ up, right below a “y” in the trunk. I may add a set of climbing sticks to get above that. Very small property and not many options as far as trees go. Considering building an elevated blind for next season. Thanks again Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Been wondering the same thing. Been shot gun season here so the deer will be spooky for a while. My stand is up about 16' with several 8-10" trees behind me so hoping I blend in with them. Have photos of the deer still using their same route from their bedding area since I put the stand up. don't know what is going to happen with the army hunters going through. Be back at it after the 20th some time.
