Your hunting mindframe this year? 1, 2, 0r 3?

1) Let me observe first, then kind of move in slowly. Maybe I will see a deer within 200 yards!




2) Let me set up on the fringes, I hope something comes by here.



3) From day 1, here I come bedding areas!

 

1 and 3. More of a 3 though.

 

If I were totally zeroed in I'd be on the bedding area right away. There's too much other pressure to wait. However, PA's season usually starts as the deer are switching food sources so I usually have to adjust to what I'm seeing. In PA my plan is to hit it hard the first week. If I don't get it done in that first week, I'll do what I can until the chasing begins. In MD I'll hunt fringes and then dial in closer. A lot less pressure and the season starts earlier.

 

More of a three for me.

Although it's more like here I come bedding areas, feeding areas, staging areas, and funnels.

Deer beware...or better yet don't!

 

I use all but timing is the crucial part.

One particular property, I'll painstakingly stay out of until Early Nov..Then #3

I'll see a couple shooters..that day (or couple days)

 

Wait for the right time and then start a 2, finish a 3.

 

I agree with fletch, you don't want to get too crazy off the starting line, but everyone has their own good feelings about things and if you have a good feeling about a certain deer especially early season and have him patterned, then go for it!

 

how about a number 4 as in.. it's to dang hot to hunt im going back to the lake..
man it's 100 degrees here with 90 percent humidity the deer will be doing the same thing as me sitting in the shade with a drink near by.

 

I am not sure what number this makes me, but for the first three weeks, I'm only hunting feeding stands that are a lock to get in and get out with minimal disturbance. After that, I will start working on some stands that are more rut/prerut related.

 

2 and 3 for me but #1 is always in effect

 

Since I'm not going to get as much time in the woods as I was hoping/expecting. I am going to hunt where I want, when I want. I'm tired of "tip toeing" around the woods.

 

From Day 1 ...only hunt where I have frequented daylight evidence (trail cams or glassing) of particular bucks moving and using the area.. I can't stand going to the woods unless I believe I have a shot at a mature buck everytime in any given set up. I won't even hang a stand anymore unless I have this evidence collected. In a big woods setting like mine, Its a waste of time to just throw a stand out on "sign", You need daylight sign, comfortable areas big bucks like to filter around in, bed in and feel really safe during shooting hours. This usually means bedding area or right on the fringe. Very tricky though and easy to blow if not hunted carefully. Of course, I am speaking outside of the rut here. During the rut I will hunt travel corridors or frequenting areas of doe familys.

 

On days I can get away with it based on the wind/rain/time of day, I am moving in with a #3 to the bedding areas. When I don't feel I can get in without causing a major disturbance I will ratchet down to a #2 on the fringes. I have from early Oct to mid-November to get it done. After that my responsibilities change and my hunting time drops off sharply. I am being selectively aggresive.

 

2 during October, 3 in November

 

The nice thing about trail cams is, the bucks will show you by lack of repetative return to your cam set up if you are screwing it up. Even when I hang a camera or stand I have an enterance/exit planned out, I use the wind, rain to do so in and I treat it just like a hunt. Checking cameras and frequenting a great bedding area too much under favorable conditions to an old buck will have him locked onto your presence. What I like to see is a big mature buck continuing to frequent my trail cam set ups during the daylight, that tells me I am getting in and out without disturbing him. This summer I have only checked cams on windy/loud days or right during rain showers.. Its been working great. On a dead quiet day with just a slight breeze blowing right in the direction I believe the bucks are bedded.. I stay the hell out, I will let a cam sit for several days until I get better conditions. Same with a couple stands I need to hang, I am waiting on the right weather to blow in and allow me to slip in and out without blowing the area.

 

Sooner, here is where I am changing this year. If I see an opening to get in close I am taking it the first chance I get during the season. I am hunting aggressively in October, and that is a first for me as I usually slowly ratchet it up over the course of October. I am coming out swinging. I figure I have been absolutely wasting my time during the month of October and I will not repeat my actions anymore.

 

I like your thoughts VA. If one waits until the end of Oct/early November a buck in there area may have gone looking for love.

 

Shed, that is a really cool point. Figuring out that if you are getting repeat action on the trfail cams means that you doing it right in terms of your entrance/exit/wind/weather....cool. Kind of like a test run before the season. That must really get your confidence up.

 

Ben, I have been wasting hunts, many hunts over the years by being too passive. My passive behavior was based on my lack of strong scouting. With strong scouting this year my confidence has risen to the point where I feel I have a fighting chance each hunt. I might be eating crow come the close of season, but not because I was too chicken to move in and close the deal!

 

Last year I adopted the "hunt like you are the hunted" philosphy so I try to keep my presence on the down low until Nov when I figure the bucks are more preoccupied. I like your thinking though and will be keeping close tabs on how it works. Good luck bro.