Many of you know, many of you don't, that I have been bowhunting for a long time. Since 1981. I have killed, recorded, numbered MANY MANY bow kills. I will give those numbers out if necessary. I have used MANY products, including bows (17 to be exact, arrows, broadheads, treestands, blinds, etc. I have hunted MANY states NEVER on a guided deer hunt. Almost always on public or near public, pressured deer. I say this simply to establish a degree of credibility. BTW, my degree is in Forestry and Wildlife management though I am not now a professional in that field.
Bowhunting Whitetailed deer is not easy. There are no shortcuts. (unless you pay big money). It takes time, dedication, and commitment to consistently kill multiple deer every season, year after year. Product endorsers and the hunting "media" would have you believe that buying this product or that will give you an edge in your bowhunting endeavors. The HARD truth is that most products will not.
THere are a few things however that will definitely help you get your deer. A good, FORGIVING and accurate bow. A super shaving sharp broadhead, a good, quiet, lightweight, safe treestand, and a good rangefinder with a dependable battery.
Beyond these things, it takes a TON of scouting. SCOUTING. LOTS OF SCOUTING.
It helps a whole bunch if you are hunting in areas where there is a high population of deer, like unit L. But not all of us get to do that. So in those places it takes even more scouting.
Scouting should NEVER stop. But MOST of your primary scouting should be done RIGHT after the last bit of deer season closes for the year. Usually in January. Sign, travel patterns, bottle necks. Terrain features. AND ESPECIALLY FOOD SOURCES such as Red and White Oak trees. All this information should be carefully kept in a field journal and kept record of for future hunts. I usually hunt acorn tree areas every OTHER year.
Honeysuckle thickets should be marked as late season hot-spots. These places provide food, cover, and water in their offerings.
ALWAYS mark N,S,E,W directons for planning your hunts. Wind direction CAN'T be overemphasized when hunting food sources. Remember, deer LOVE to travel UP in the mornings to catch early morning warmth from the sun while feeding. And DOWN in the evening to their food sources. (Thermals generally travel up in the AM so hunt above the trails).
Pre and post frontal activity is something to take note of. Especially MAJOR frontal activity.
These are a few of my findings over the past 27 or so years of bowhunting.
102
Bowhunting Whitetailed deer is not easy. There are no shortcuts. (unless you pay big money). It takes time, dedication, and commitment to consistently kill multiple deer every season, year after year. Product endorsers and the hunting "media" would have you believe that buying this product or that will give you an edge in your bowhunting endeavors. The HARD truth is that most products will not.
THere are a few things however that will definitely help you get your deer. A good, FORGIVING and accurate bow. A super shaving sharp broadhead, a good, quiet, lightweight, safe treestand, and a good rangefinder with a dependable battery.
Beyond these things, it takes a TON of scouting. SCOUTING. LOTS OF SCOUTING.
It helps a whole bunch if you are hunting in areas where there is a high population of deer, like unit L. But not all of us get to do that. So in those places it takes even more scouting.
Scouting should NEVER stop. But MOST of your primary scouting should be done RIGHT after the last bit of deer season closes for the year. Usually in January. Sign, travel patterns, bottle necks. Terrain features. AND ESPECIALLY FOOD SOURCES such as Red and White Oak trees. All this information should be carefully kept in a field journal and kept record of for future hunts. I usually hunt acorn tree areas every OTHER year.
Honeysuckle thickets should be marked as late season hot-spots. These places provide food, cover, and water in their offerings.
ALWAYS mark N,S,E,W directons for planning your hunts. Wind direction CAN'T be overemphasized when hunting food sources. Remember, deer LOVE to travel UP in the mornings to catch early morning warmth from the sun while feeding. And DOWN in the evening to their food sources. (Thermals generally travel up in the AM so hunt above the trails).
Pre and post frontal activity is something to take note of. Especially MAJOR frontal activity.
These are a few of my findings over the past 27 or so years of bowhunting.
102
