Talk abotu discouraging

[BSK]

Much of unbaited camera success is about camera placement. And that is definitely a learned skill.

 

[TheLBLman]

I also see a couple other issues that would normally and greatly decrease the number of deer using a 25-acre tract:

1) An increase in human disturbance
Between checking the cams and hunting, there has been an increase.

2) About the time archery season opens, or shortly thereafter, the deer suddenly have a huge supply of acorns to feast upon. Not only do they have less need to move about in search of food, but they may become even more sensitive to human disturbance.

There is also the issue of normal dispersal of buck bachelor groups, which could help as much as it hurts, just depending on your hunting area. If you're getting regular pics of a group of bucks, sometime in September it's common for most of them to disappear from being photographed even if you were still using your corn. Some of them simply leave the area.

 

[TheLBLman]

1) An increase in human disturbance
Between checking the cams and hunting, there has been an increase.

Speaking of this . . . . . .
For this reason many hunters will avoid hunting a particular spot until and only when conditions are most ideal to kill a deer in that spot.

While this may be an issue of weather, wind, and rut-timing for many hunters, this can also be an issue of "when" you can hunt with a more effective weapon. You may find that by NOT bowhunting an area, you actually increase your opportunity to take an older buck there with a muzzleloader or rifle.

Timing is everything.

 

[BSK]

You may find that by NOT bowhunting an area, you actually increase your opportunity to take an older buck there with a muzzleloader or rifle.

This can be more true than most hunters want to know.

 

[ghosthunter]

You may find that by NOT bowhunting an area, you actually increase your opportunity to take an older buck there with a muzzleloader or rifle.

This can be more true than most hunters want to know.

Yeah, but then you don't stand the chance of harvesting him with a bow. Hunt smart

 

[Andy S.]

You may find that by NOT bowhunting an area, you actually increase your opportunity to take an older buck there with a muzzleloader or rifle.

This can be more true than most hunters want to know.

Very true. One of the elder/wiser mature buck hunters in my area that has one of the best walls in town (several 130-175" mature bucks mounted) takes this approach one step further. He does not step foot on his SW TN property until rifle opens. He never hunts his property with bow or MZer, only rifle. The land is in SW TN so this approach falls inline with the pre-rut and rut for this piece of property (late Nov early Dec). Been doing it that way for past twenty years and he and his hunting partners have the results (deer mounts and kill pictures from over the years) to show their results.

 

[Andy S.]

I don't ML or rifle hunt where I bow hunt. So its the same for me, only different.

X2

 

[BSK]

You may find that by NOT bowhunting an area, you actually increase your opportunity to take an older buck there with a muzzleloader or rifle.

This can be more true than most hunters want to know.

Yeah, but then you don't stand the chance of harvesting him with a bow. Hunt smart

Sad, but true!

 

[BSK]

I don't bow hunt where i ml, or gun hunt.Figured that out a long time ago

Either that or for those who don't have the luxury of more than one property to hunt, make sure you bow-hunt very differently (different locations) than you MZ/gun hunt near the rut.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I don't bow hunt where i ml, or gun hunt.Figured that out a long time ago

Either that or for those who don't have the luxury of more than one property to hunt, make sure you bow-hunt very differently (different locations) than you MZ/gun hunt near the rut.

Exactly. I bow hunt just to kill some does and dont go anywhere near where my "hot spots" are. I have hunted out of a climber every time this year, and I just go here and there....not too far from camp. Come muzzleloader, I will be in my lock-ons that I placed out last spring. Several of those 20 acre locations have never been hunted in the past 8 years for whatever reason . And those locations arent even our "sanctuaries". It just so happened no one has hunted there. I have saved those spots for when I have the best equipment (a gun) AND the best timing. We will see what happens

 

[RiverBuck10]

I feel ya!!

 

[spitndrum]

Food Sources

I can't set my camera unbaited either haven't learned yet>

 

[richmanbarbeque]

You may find that by NOT bowhunting an area, you actually increase your opportunity to take an older buck there with a muzzleloader or rifle.

This can be more true than most hunters want to know.

I am sure you both agree but I say only if you have seen them in mz/gun range during bowseason would this be accurate, if not we are only guessing, IMO.

 

[BSK]

You may find that by NOT bowhunting an area, you actually increase your opportunity to take an older buck there with a muzzleloader or rifle.

This can be more true than most hunters want to know.

I am sure you both agree but I say only if you have seen them in mz/gun range during bowseason would this be accurate, if not we are only guessing, IMO.

Richman,

I'm talking about the pressure applied to an area before MZ season kicks in. Pressure is pressure, and it doesn't matter if that pressure is applied with a bow or gun. Every time you hunt an area, you're apply pressure to the area, and your chances of seeing an old buck in that location go down.

 

[TheLBLman]

Pressure is pressure . . . . . . apply pressure to the area, and your chances of seeing an old buck in that location go down.

While this is particularly true regarding a "resident" old buck that HAD been using that location, it is also true period.

Rather than call it "pressure", let's call it human "intrusion". Deer, not just old bucks, when given the choice, and other factors being near same ----- they will usually quickly gravitate to the "locations" of the least human disturbance. This is even more true regarding daytime usage of particular locations. Deer may not stop using a particular field or feeding on a particular oak flat, but they'll often just limit their usage to under the cover of darkness, once they've experienced an increase in human intrusion. Deer sign can even increase in an area as we're increasing our hunting in that area --- it's just that most of the deer making that sign may be doing so at night.

Even though many of the old bucks we might see during muzzleloader and rifle are "range expanders" that weren't even around during archery, at least to some degree they can be "led around" by the more localized deer tending to avoid certain "spots". Archery hunting intrusion should have less effect on these rut-roaming bucks, but would be incorrect to say no effect.

On the other hand, observations and experiences during early archery season COULD provide one more gain in opportunity than loss. This might be particularly true for those newer to the sport of deer hunting.

 

[BSK]

Pressure is pressure . . . . . . apply pressure to the area, and your chances of seeing an old buck in that location go down.

While this is particularly true regarding a "resident" old buck that HAD been using that location, it is also true period.

Rather than call it "pressure", let's call it human "intrusion". Deer, not just old bucks, when given the choice, and other factors being near same ----- they will usually quickly gravitate to the "locations" of the least human disturbance. This is even more true regarding daytime usage of particular locations. Deer may not stop using a particular field or feeding on a particular oak flat, but they'll often just limit their usage to under the cover of darkness, once they've experienced an increase in human intrusion. Deer sign can even increase in an area as we're increasing our hunting in that area --- it's just that most of the deer making that sign may be doing so at night.

Even though many of the old bucks we might see during muzzleloader and rifle are "range expanders" that weren't even around during archery, at least to some degree they can be "led around" by the more localized deer tending to avoid certain "spots". Archery hunting intrusion should have less effect on these rut-roaming bucks, but would be incorrect to say no effect.

On the other hand, observations and experiences during early archery season COULD provide one more gain in opportunity than loss. This might be particularly true for those newer to the sport of deer hunting.

Excellent post Wes.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Good post Wes

 

[BowGuy84]

So when do y'all start to pressure your top spots? With the cooler weather this weekend I'm giong to move in some. Not to my most highly anticipated areas but 200-300 yards off in feeding areas to see what movement is happening.

 

[BSK]

So when do y'all start to pressure your top spots?

Opening morning of MZ season.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

So when do y'all start to pressure your top spots?

Opening morning of MZ season.

Same as me. I would go in there with a bow, but most of those spots are too thick to shoot a bow, for me. Plus, they arent bow stands, meaning they dont have the branches cleared away with shooting holes, room to pull the string back, etc.... They are specifically designed to sit there with a gun, point, and shoot. I like putting these stands in White Oaks since alot of them hold their leaves after the others fall. Several of my stands, I can do jumping jacks and you wouldnt ever see me. If you weigh going into a spot with the ideal weapon at the right time (rut) vs going in there with a limited weapon (even though they may be on a pattern) and take a chance spooking deer....its a no brainer to me