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Post by tynimiller on Jul 21, 2020 9:05:56 GMT -5
Shared this elsewhere and figured some of you would appreciate it.
Traits of a Consistent Hunter
Trait #1 - A Deep Desire To Know
The large majority of hunters I've met that consistently harvest mature deer or big deer for their area are constantly seeking answers. They never stop analyzing everything they see, hear, observe or discover. Every trail, scrape, rub and even hoof print is a clue to decipher.
They're the ones that when a shooter steps out and they get a shot, spend as much time processing and attempting to rewind the minutes and hours prior to that bucks last steps as they do attempting to cope with the adrenaline rush surging through them. Getting the chance isn't nearly as important to them as understanding why the chance happened.
They're the ones that on a blood trail are not just looking for mere blood, but directional travel from time prior to shot vs at the shot vs proximity to water or known bedding areas....topography and or habitat types. Finding the deer is not enough, understanding the trail is required.
When they get a target buck on camera, they're more concerned with what the weather was that day, wind, barometric pressure, time and moon phase before deciding what friends to send the pictures to.
They're the detectives of the woods and the guys whose brain you love to pick, but also think are a little crazy about this deer hunting thing.
They're consistent for a reason.
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Post by boonechaser on Jul 24, 2020 12:47:05 GMT -5
Generally speaking since I hunt my own property or adjoining property lease almost exclusively I find myself targeting specific bucks more and more as I age and have been able to pattern deer , more specifically bucks on my property over the course of the 18 years I have hunted here. Although some bucks don't follow the script I have 2 specific stand locations that I have killed majority of my bucks from. Both are funnel areas leading out of a drainage and bucks use to check doe bedding areas during pre rut and rut. One stand I have killed 7 out of and the other 6. (All bucks in excess 120" with biggest being a 164" 12 point).
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2020 13:18:40 GMT -5
I also hunt a funnel area between two bed areas. At my place I have two stands. One on my place between to bed areas (both beds off my property) and a stand across the street. It is between a huge bed area and my place with the other two beds. (triangle of 3 bed areas). My brother place I hunt near a big bed area and a 2nd patch that is in his woods across the field. Great late morning to early afternoon stand. So over the 35 years with stands everywhere I have concentrated to place stands between bed areas only. I spend little time now looking for rubs and scrapes. I know about where the monster scrape should be and check once in early August just to confirm. I don't even use trial camera anymore. I know the genetics and what my target is. Brother woods have very tall 8's and flat heavy rack 10's. Target has both so big tall 10's. There is a very rare multi point buck that we see every other year or so. Last season my brother and I tried to get a 24-31 point buck. We each saw it once. I saw in person and trail camera that my brother put out. So once in the field. I think these bucks only pass through once or twice a hunting season.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2020 17:01:36 GMT -5
Like all of us here, I get excited by the sight of a big-bodied, big racked buck, although I am not a "trophy hunter". I am a meat and an experience hunter, but I`m pretty sure we can agree that all of us, whatever our core reason for deer hunting, appreciate getting to see a big, "mature" buck. Big bucks are just "different", we don`t get to see a true trophy just every day, and a true mature buck is almost like a different species.
Having said all that, I like to think that all hunters, be they trophy hunters, meat hunters, or experience hunters, all seek to learn more about these animals, and how they live, survive, eat, travel, adapt, and move through their areas, even if they don`t necessarily keep a log-book, or have the resources to put out trail cameras, or do any of the other things that some of the "serious hunters" claim are required. I know, and believe me, I get it, there are a few guys who don`t put much effort or thought into it, and they sometimes kill a deer, and maybe even a really big buck occasionally, but I believe most guys put quite a bit of time, energy and money into deer hunting.
Some people, and I know I fall into this camp, don`t buy into the trophy management fad, or join organizations with names that sound like they`re for everyone, but really aren`t, because we know that all deer are already "quality" deer.
All of this just to say, I think deer hunters take their learning curve to the level that satisfies them. If you`re a meat and experience hunter, in the grand scheme of things, I feel we`re just as happy and satisfied to see a doe family as we are to see an ol` sway back, mossy horned 8 1/2 year old warrior, and you didn`t plot moon charts, plant food plots, spend $800 on cellular trail cameras, or spend 5 years without ever tagging a deer. I know I try to always learn as much as I can about these beautiful, elusive creatures, and try to always grow my knowledge base, but at the same time, I just try to really enjoy each day in a stand without putting even more pressure on myself, and so much so, that it drains all the fun and joy out of a simple sit in the woods on a gorgeous, crisp, picturesque day.
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Post by esshup on Jul 24, 2020 22:15:15 GMT -5
Meat and potatoes guy here, filling the freezer is more important than hanging a big rack on the wall. I have chased big ones that I've got pictures of, passed on some dandy bucks thinking that I'll get a chance at them next year and I've come to realize that where I hunt I can't control enough land to allow a nice deer grow to a BIG deer. So, it's a fill the freezer with does, and hold out for a big deer if possible, but if it gets to gun season any nice buck will go down. If it's muzzleloading season, then the antler size shrinks and the body size becomes more important in what goes down.
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Post by featherduster on Jul 25, 2020 4:32:51 GMT -5
Meat and potatoes guy here, filling the freezer is more important than hanging a big rack on the wall. I have chased big ones that I've got pictures of, passed on some dandy bucks thinking that I'll get a chance at them next year and I've come to realize that where I hunt I can't control enough land to allow a nice deer grow to a BIG deer. So, it's a fill the freezer with does, and hold out for a big deer if possible, but if it gets to gun season any nice buck will go down. If it's muzzleloading season, then the antler size shrinks and the body size becomes more important in what goes down.  |
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Trait #1
Jul 25, 2020 6:49:17 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by boonechaser on Jul 25, 2020 6:49:17 GMT -5
Like all of us here, I get excited by the sight of a big-bodied, big racked buck, although I am not a "trophy hunter". I am a meat and an experience hunter, but I`m pretty sure we can agree that all of us, whatever our core reason for deer hunting, appreciate getting to see a big, "mature" buck. Big bucks are just "different", we don`t get to see a true trophy just every day, and a true mature buck is almost like a different species. Having said all that, I like to think that all hunters, be they trophy hunters, meat hunters, or experience hunters, all seek to learn more about these animals, and how they live, survive, eat, travel, adapt, and move through their areas, even if they don`t necessarily keep a log-book, or have the resources to put out trail cameras, or do any of the other things that some of the "serious hunters" claim are required. I know, and believe me, I get it, there are a few guys who don`t put much effort or thought into it, and they sometimes kill a deer, and maybe even a really big buck occasionally, but I believe most guys put quite a bit of time, energy and money into deer hunting. Some people, and I know I fall into this camp, don`t buy into the trophy management fad, or join organizations with names that sound like they`re for everyone, but really aren`t, because we know that all deer are already "quality" deer. All of this just to say, I think deer hunters take their learning curve to the level that satisfies them. If you`re a meat and experience hunter, in the grand scheme of things, I feel we`re just as happy and satisfied to see a doe family as we are to see an ol` sway back, mossy horned 8 1/2 year old warrior, and you didn`t plot moon charts, plant food plots, spend $800 on cellular trail cameras, or spend 5 years without ever tagging a deer. I know I try to always learn as much as I can about these beautiful, elusive creatures, and try to always grow my knowledge base, but at the same time, I just try to really enjoy each day in a stand without putting even more pressure on myself, and so much so, that it drains all the fun and joy out of a simple sit in the woods on a gorgeous, crisp, picturesque day. Find those funnels between bedding areas and wait till pre rut starts Not rare to see 5-10 bucks in a set. Bucks tend to use same trail systems year after year. Think I read a book by Barry and Gene Wensel years ago explaining what and where to look for to find these spots and they were right. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2020 10:06:39 GMT -5
Like all of us here, I get excited by the sight of a big-bodied, big racked buck, although I am not a "trophy hunter". I am a meat and an experience hunter, but I`m pretty sure we can agree that all of us, whatever our core reason for deer hunting, appreciate getting to see a big, "mature" buck. Big bucks are just "different", we don`t get to see a true trophy just every day, and a true mature buck is almost like a different species. Having said all that, I like to think that all hunters, be they trophy hunters, meat hunters, or experience hunters, all seek to learn more about these animals, and how they live, survive, eat, travel, adapt, and move through their areas, even if they don`t necessarily keep a log-book, or have the resources to put out trail cameras, or do any of the other things that some of the "serious hunters" claim are required. I know, and believe me, I get it, there are a few guys who don`t put much effort or thought into it, and they sometimes kill a deer, and maybe even a really big buck occasionally, but I believe most guys put quite a bit of time, energy and money into deer hunting. Some people, and I know I fall into this camp, don`t buy into the trophy management fad, or join organizations with names that sound like they`re for everyone, but really aren`t, because we know that all deer are already "quality" deer. All of this just to say, I think deer hunters take their learning curve to the level that satisfies them. If you`re a meat and experience hunter, in the grand scheme of things, I feel we`re just as happy and satisfied to see a doe family as we are to see an ol` sway back, mossy horned 8 1/2 year old warrior, and you didn`t plot moon charts, plant food plots, spend $800 on cellular trail cameras, or spend 5 years without ever tagging a deer. I know I try to always learn as much as I can about these beautiful, elusive creatures, and try to always grow my knowledge base, but at the same time, I just try to really enjoy each day in a stand without putting even more pressure on myself, and so much so, that it drains all the fun and joy out of a simple sit in the woods on a gorgeous, crisp, picturesque day. Find those funnels between bedding areas and wait till pre rut starts Not rare to see 5-10 bucks in a set. Bucks tend to use same trail systems year after year. Think I read a book by Barry and Gene Wensel years ago explaining what and where to look for to find these spots and they were right. Great, great advice. There is a lot of knowledge and information in the minds of some of the folks here, and the willingness to share that information is incredible. |
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Trait #1
Jul 25, 2020 15:17:29 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by treetop on Jul 25, 2020 15:17:29 GMT -5
Meat and potatoes guy here, filling the freezer is more important than hanging a big rack on the wall. I have chased big ones that I've got pictures of, passed on some dandy bucks thinking that I'll get a chance at them next year and I've come to realize that where I hunt I can't control enough land to allow a nice deer grow to a BIG deer. So, it's a fill the freezer with does, and hold out for a big deer if possible, but if it gets to gun season any nice buck will go down. If it's muzzleloading season, then the antler size shrinks and the body size becomes more important in what goes down. + 2 I’ll pass on deer but when time is short it’s going in the freezer to long till next season without deer meat |
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Post by beermaker on Jul 26, 2020 11:37:24 GMT -5
Meat and potatoes guy here, filling the freezer is more important than hanging a big rack on the wall. I have chased big ones that I've got pictures of, passed on some dandy bucks thinking that I'll get a chance at them next year and I've come to realize that where I hunt I can't control enough land to allow a nice deer grow to a BIG deer. So, it's a fill the freezer with does, and hold out for a big deer if possible, but if it gets to gun season any nice buck will go down. If it's muzzleloading season, then the antler size shrinks and the body size becomes more important in what goes down. Well put. I no longer pass on any deer that has good body size, just less than ideal shots. I’d much rather shoot a healthy big doe than a stereotypical So. IN 8pt with the same body size. I just don’t have access to the land that I used to and not as much time either. I enjoy making sausage and experimenting with different flavorings just as much as hunting. Give me 2-3 fat does every year and the whole family is happy, along with some of my contractors. I have a grumpy old Hispanic mason that only does specialty and detail work. I give him a six pack of beer and a roll of sausage any time I need something done in a hurry. |
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Post by treetop on Jul 26, 2020 13:18:04 GMT -5
Funny how people say they don’t like deer meat but put it in a snack stick or summer sausage and you got to fight them for it
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Post by beermaker on Jul 26, 2020 20:02:35 GMT -5
Funny how people say they don’t like deer meat but put it in a snack stick or summer sausage and you got to fight them for it Absolute 100% true story. About 24 years ago I was at my in-laws’ Thanksgiving. I debuted my first batch of blackberry wine and also had some summer sausage that was just made a week or two earlier. My wife’s grandmother and aunt (both east coast city dwellers) killed a bottle of wine and a plate of sausage. The MIL yelled across the room for me to get more deer sausage cut. Holy $h!t!. You wold have thought grandma had been poisoned. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2020 20:27:50 GMT -5
Funny how people say they don’t like deer meat but put it in a snack stick or summer sausage and you got to fight them for it Absolute 100% true story. About 24 years ago I was at my in-laws’ Thanksgiving. I debuted my first batch of blackberry wine and also had some summer sausage that was just made a week or two earlier. My wife’s grandmother and aunt (both east coast city dwellers) killed a bottle of wine and a plate of sausage. The MIL yelled across the room for me to get more deer sausage cut. Holy $h!t!. You wold have thought grandma had been poisoned. LOL. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2020 7:11:02 GMT -5
When I was living in Fort Wayne the company had a chili competition. Mine came in 2nd and they loved it until they asked what was in it. Some did not like that it had venison in it.
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Post by omegahunter on Jul 30, 2020 14:33:41 GMT -5
When I was living in Fort Wayne the company had a chili competition. Mine came in 2nd and they loved it until they asked what was in it. Some did not like that it had venison in it. Guess whose chili was gone first at a church get-together!?!? Never did tell any of those ladies that it was deer.  |
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