This is my 3rd year bowhunting, and my 7th chasing whitetail deer. Ive harvest 5 deer (3 does, a BB and a buck), and 2 of these (Buck and Doe) were with a bow. Ive learned alot in the last 3 years, with this year being the toughest (Ive yet to harvest a deer with my bow). Although i loved every minute of it, ive had a few regretful moments this year that i wish i could redo. This includes the wounded 1.5 year old buck that i shot and the doe i lost during the rainstorm. Now every year i have been becoming a better hunter, and my deer sightings have gone up (80-90 range last year to 95 this year). One thing that hasnt gone up though is mature buck sightings. Last year i glimpsed 2 in the distance, and this year i had 1 (Freak Daddy) in range. My first year bowhunting i saw 0 mature bucks. Now over the last 2 years i have passed plenty of 1.5 and 2.5 year old bucks (around 30 sightings, 15 or so each year and probably 20 of them in bow range). My first year i shot at three 1.5 year old bucks and ended up killing the 3rd (my first deer). Overall ive shot at deer 8 times that i can recall with my bow, killed 2, wounded 2. This year was the first time that i have ever wounded a deer as well. Okay to get back on subject (kinda rambled about my bowhunting career, but hey its almost the off season ), when was it that you guys became "good" hunters? By that i mean fully confident in your abilities to harvest deer and put down good bucks from time to time? For me, over the last 3 years i have gained a ton of knowledge, but i still dont feel like i have the advantage over the deer. Thats what keeps me going out in 20 degree weather and a foot of snow even though i havnt been seeing deer lately, i feel like any chance of gaining knowledge is time well spent in the woods. One thing i am proud of is the fact that i dont have to harvest deer in order to have what i consider a "successful" hunt. At the same time i feel this also somewhat hinders me because im contempt at only "seeing" deer. Any perspective that you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated.
A 'good' hunter to me displays strong ethics, patience and stewardship afield. Now, being a productive hunter is something I am still working on and think I am getting better at. I'm very aggressive and when I find big buck sign or get them on the trail cam. I get after them, hard. This has been my approach the last two years and like I said, I'm getting better at. I'm finding mature bucks through scouting and trails and developing a sound game plan to see them from stand. What separates me from productive hunters is they have the ability to capitalize and put bucks on the ground, while I have and have not. Last year I scouted an area, found big buck sign and harvested a 3 year old 8 pt. This year, same scenario with two different 130 class bucks and couldn't close the deal. Now I'm rambling, but back to your topic, I consider myself a 'good' hunter going by my own definition, but I am light years away from becoming a productive hunter.
I don't look at it as reaching a point of "being good", so much as always trying to become better. The only thing I know for certain about Whitetails, is that no matter how "good" I get, they'll still make me look like a fool 9 out of 10 times. For me, knowing that I don't have the advantage, makes my successes all the more enjoyable. Having said that, I started hunting @ age 12, but I didn't really get serious about it until I was 20 or so. And these last two years, picking up the bow, have sent me into overdrive!
I'll try to stay serious....I was born blessed in that my family owned lots of property that was /is prime for hunting/fishing/boating....I fell in love w/ the outdoors early...I am the youngest of 11 Grands who spent their summer vaction at the "River"....Becaue I was the youngest I spent alot of time by myself, ....From the time I was old enough to drive I spent almost every weekend and holiday at the River, either hunting, hiking, fishing, camping (by myself alot) And I moved up there full time about 20 years ago....I love it and aside from raising 5 kids, I spend my time in the woods/swamp. With all that being said I am confident that because of my time and knowledge of this property I can be very productive....but making meat and shooting Mature Bucks is two different things. I lost interest in Deer hunting for several reasons....the property I built my hunting cabin was over hunted and surrounded by the "if it's brown its down " mentality...so Mature Bucks were few and far between....but now the property around my home is now loaded w/ mature bucks.....and Because of the Bow I've really gotten excited about Deer hunting again...But I never even drew back this season....could have cracked a bunch w/ a rifle and even a couple big boys...but I want to hunt w/ a bow. My advice to anyone hunting is to spend as much time as you can in the woods and pay attention to what is going on...year round. Getting competent/ with your weapon and focus on how blessed you are to actually be able to partake in the Outdoors. SB
Jeff, i like that you bring up being a passive deer hutner. Like i mentioned, im not too aggresive when it comes to deer hunting. I would rather do nothing and not possibly educate the deer then take a risk and possbily ruin things in that spot. That is something im looking forward to trying out differently in 09/10.
I like what Jeff has to say hear. Some of what these guy's do is spent alot of time in the field learning why a deer moves in a certain direction. I take a lot of mental notes when hunting or scouting. Knowing why a deer is in a certain location is a key factor on how you are going to set up to kill him.Spend as much time in the woods as you can all year long. In summer scout from a distance. As for the question I have killed mature bucks 5 out of the last 6 years. I contribute this to being a more active hunter.
A good deer and good deer hunter is going to be defined differently by all hunters. I used to work very hard to get shot opportunities at 3.5 year old bucks and older. Then killed several of that age and older along the way and realized that the 3.5 year old bucks truely dont share the same survival skills nor physical maturity as the older bucks. So I purposely decided 3.5's in my home hunting areas were off limits. I'd kill an elk, heck any elk for freezer meat and I do that, so the meat thing isnt an issue to me. It allows me to focus on the old boys. In these past 6 years, of really targeting 4.5s and older, I've killed 5 4.5 and older bucks or older and 1 that I am pretty sure was 3.5 and he fooled me (age) when shot him. I focused on his rack more than his body composition. Three of which have been aged at over 7 years old.. 5 bow, 1 Rifle. What targeting the 4.5s and older has done, is forced me to pass up and watch more 3.5s. I never bother hunting an area that is loaded with does and young bucks. I only spend my time scouting and hunting areas that have the right habitat and concealment for a big buck to like it. Which in this country usually equates to a big timbered mountainside and internal network of ridges leading down into the doe family and baby buck hangouts. I buy two tags a season and have eaten several second tags at 258.00 dollars a piece, on some dang nice 3.5's but I am ok with it. I think thats been the key, being mentally ok with passing dang nice bucks, not letting that bother me which has allowed me to spend a lot of time with deer. It also forces me to hunt deep into my seasons, lots of hours. lots of encounters, lots of just studying, setting up on and hunting deer, passing up deer and learning from them. I will consider myself a good deer hunter when I can fill both of my buck tags every season here in these mountains on 4.5 year olds and older.. I am not there yet; I believe I can get there but havent been able to pull it off every season. I have done it twice since; In 03 and 05 I pulled it off.. 4.5 and a 7.5, 4.5 and a 4.5 and I have also had to live with a big goose egg one season or a season like this past one that I messed up my one bow opportunity on an old buck and only tagged one with my rifle. My goal again next year will be 2 bucks 4.5 years or older preferrably with my bow. My favorite time to bowhunt paticular bucks....are early Sept and Lat Dec.
I agree. Some of the best hunters I have met spend a ton more hours in the woods during the offseason than they do during the season. They don't necessarily hunt hard, they hunt smart.
This is an excellent topic and a great read. Let me start by saying what others have said and that is “good” & “productive” are subjective to different areas. I consider myself pretty productive, but not that good. My productivity comes with a good deer herd, lots of doe tags and the desire to fill them. I hunted a lot of years content with just killing deer, and I did so fairly regularly. I had a good teacher and the only thing keeping me from consistently killing deer from the very start was my shooting. Progressing on to “mature” bucks in the heavily pressured areas I hunt is a whole different ball game. I’m dabbling in success, but this past year I felt I was handed a golden opportunity & I crashed & burned. I had a minimum of 2 mature (140”) bucks using my main hunting grounds as a part of their core area and I didn’t even manage to SEE them during the season. (well at least not a confirmed sighting) I had 2 glimpses of perceived shooters while on stand, but they could have been anywhere from 120-140” the looks were that quick. Evaluating my failure, I feel I need to do 2 things. 1. Hunt more aggressively, and 2. Not rely so much on what I “know” about the property. I have to re-scout it and pretend I’m seeing it for the first time and get out of my “comfort zone” if you will. My work schedule has erased my ability to over hunt the place, so I might as well get more aggressive, since time is no longer on my side.
I think that is a great point. I have hunted a property for 4 years. The first 3 years I relied too much on the property owner and previous hunters telling me what spots were good. I was kind of restricted as to where I could sit based on their experiences. This year I had more freedom and re-scouted, and I learned a lot. I also saw more bucks this past season than those first 3 seasons combined.
GREAT analogy Jeff. As a former catcher of some 13 years, I can appreciate the way you put it. Exactly what you said is what I need and will be forced to this upcoming year. I already know that my field time will be down significantly, so my time spent must count for more. I plan on being more productive with less time. I plan on doing this through some knowledge that I didn't have going into last year, better scouting and stand setups, and more scouting.
We are in the same boat Caleb. I am at a point were I have a tadbit of experience under my belt, but I am still absorbing knowledge like a freakin sponge whenever I can. This past season I applied a little new fresh knowledge I gained during the offseason, and I saw my sucess increase greatly. I look forward to only expanding on that next fall. To answer your question, I'm not there yet. Ask me in a decade or two:d.
Cool thread Caleb!!:d Bowhunting whitetails has been good to me for the most part. Shooting the desired age of a deer (4.5 and up) not so good. I've passed on more 3.5's through out years then I can count. Some of them were just short of the books and some I know were just big enough that they would of squeaked In. I've only shot one P&Y buck but the buck I shot was a no brainer In making books and he was also a 4.5 year old. He's the only 4.5 that I've had In range that offered me a decent shot. I've had other 4.5's In range but It just didn't work out. I could have 3.5's hanging on my walls all over the house If I would've chosen to shoot them bucks and put the arrow where It was needed but I'm not just too Intrigued on shooting a 3.5 year old that's very close to my minimum. My brother thinks I'm nuts passing on bucks In that 125" to 130" range being I've only shot one book buck. It's just 2 different hunters with different standards Is all. I feel I've been very productive on hunting 3.5 years old bucks, they've never been an Issue In getting In range. The 4.5's and up have kicked my ass and then some. Seeing them Is one thing which I usually do every year but getting them another 10 yards closer Is another thing. This year I couldn't find a 4.5 year old to save my ass, but then again I didn't find any sign of one either. To me there's a night and day difference between a 3.5 and 4.5. I've got a long ways to go to get productive In the 4.5 year old class and up. I wonder though If my area Is preventing me from more of these opportunities with 4.5 year old bucks. Hunting pressure Is huge and the gunners around my area don't pass on anything that has a rack. In saying that though I've got to get that much better.
I at times have been able to put myself in position to take what I was after... But, I feel my productivity should be higher. I feel I am leaving opportunities "on the table" by not being in the right areas at the right times... I need to work on that.
I can't speak for him but I have passed a handfull of bucks that would have been "scratchers" for P&Y net over the years in Ohio. Maybe 8-10 of them? I won't pass that hunting PA though.
I can think of 5 for sure (one this year) that were In that 125" to 130" range. I think there's probably 1 more then that but I can't remember for sure. I've always been Intrigued by getting bucks that I know are going to make the books for sure and the ones that were more then likely In I figured I'd let them go and hope to see them next year when there wouldn't be a doubt of making the books. If these 3.5's were no doubters (130" to 135" bucks) I would of been flinging aluminum. The 3.5's In my woods aren't always P&Y bucks. I's say 30% to 40% of them are bookers. 15 years ago a decent 3.5 would of scored In that 140" range In the woods that I hunt. We use to have some good genetics.
More so that I hunt there very few times per year (if at all some years) and my "focus" and "expectations" are lower there. *edit* To add... Hunting PA can be a nice change of pace... I feel I am more back to hunting for a "good" deer (a solid 120's+ 3.5 year old, or if I am lucky enough to put myself in position to make it happen on something bigger) rather than just hunting for a "big buck" like at home. I know in the grand scheme of things there is little difference in a 130 and a 140 buck.... Just here at home where I work the hardest a 130 buck won't fill my expectations. Hope that makes sense?