THURSDAY'S THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Tracking a deer through the woods has become a lost art form. Oh sure,
almost anyone can pick up on a well defined blood trail and follow it. But
what if the blood sign ends before you find the animal? Would you be able
to tell which way the animal went based on other sign? What if you just
happen across a blood trail? Would you be able to determine which direction
the deer was heading?
Sadly, most hunters today do not possess even a fraction of the skills
necessary to track an animal beyond a good blood trail.
And tracking can get a whole lot more complicated.
If you were targeting a particular buck in your hunting area, would you be
able to memorize his track imprint and then follow that particular track to
his bedding or feeding area? If you came across a promising track on a deer
trail, could you give a rough estimate of how long ago it was made? Are you
able to use sign other than tracks to determine if deer are using a
particular area?
Here’s my THOUGHT OF THE WEEK… Most hunters only use deer tracks to
identify a travel route. If you could read tracks and other deer sign with
even a modest amount of proficiency, think about how many more hunting
options you would be able to take advantage of.

Go to www.allarchery.blogspot.com for more of Todd’s stuff.

TODD'S TUESDAY TIP

If you hunt with the quiver attached to your bow, make sure you practice and sight your bow in with the quiver attached as well. I practice and hunt with the quiver DETACHED from my bow to avoid as much vibration, noise, and weight as possible. Once in my stand, I hang the quiver on the tree within easy reach.


Go to www.allarchery.blogspot.com for more of Todd's stuff.

POP QUIZ

Every Monday will be a pop quiz. I will post three true or false archery/hunting questions for you to try your knowledge against. If you’re feeling froggy, you can leave your answers in a comment on my blog for the world to see. On the following Monday, I will post the answers to the previous week’s questions and then post three new questions. If you have specific questions you’d like answered, you can either leave a comment on my blog or send me an email at toddlydell@gmail.com.

Here's last week's questions...

1. A hoof print along with a dew claw imprint always indicates a buck track.
FALSE - Large mature does will sometimes leave dew claw marks.
2. If an area has a high buck-to-doe ratio (greater than 3 or 4 does for every buck), it’s easier to call, scent, rattle, or decoy bucks into your setups.
FALSE - Since bucks will find potential mates in greater abundance in areas with high buck-to-doe ratios, the need to compete for mating privileges is greatly reduced. Therefore, bucks are not as susceptible to calls, scents, rattling, and decoys.
3. The most dominant buck in an area will generally make the first scrapes of the season.
TRUE - Due to increased testosterone levels, the earliest scrapes of the season are generally made by the dominant buck in the area.

And here's this week's POP QUIZ...

1. T / F Rubs on a sapling that are on the opposite side of the tree from a feeding area, generally indicates the evening route of a buck.

2. T / F When sighting in your bow, you should make a sight adjustment after each arrow.

3. T / F The bullseye on all 3D whitetail targets are an exact representation of where you should aim on a live animal.

Go to www.allarchery.blogspot.com for more of Todd's stuff.

FRIDAY FACTS

In the early 1900's, whitetail populations in the U.S. was thought to number about 300,000 animals.
Recent estimates put the deer population in the United States at around 30 million animals!


Go to www.allarchery.blogspot.com for more of Todd's stuff.

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Have you ever seen a cat stalk a piece of string? Ever watch a puppy play
with his favorite toy? Have you ever wondered what was going through their
minds at that particular moment that made them act that way? I sometimes
ask that question to myself about my sons.
I also sometimes think about a whitetail’s frame of mind.
Now I know that animals are not capable of conscious thought and that they
can not feel emotions as we do. I do, however, feel that animals have a
form of “awareness” that fluctuates through varying levels.
After a night of feeding and carousing, is a whitetail less aware of its
surroundings as it heads back to its bedding area based simply on the fact
that it “wants” to call it a night?
Is a whitetail in a better “mood” and more alert on a bright sunny day and
less alert on a wet and overcast day?
Do they get “bored” and perhaps bed down overlooking a highway in order to
pass the time watching traffic?
Here’s my THOUGHT OF THE WEEK…..Can we use these “forms of awareness” to
our advantage as hunters?

Go to www.allarchery.blogspot.com for more of Todd's stuff.

TODD'S TUESDAY TIP

You'll want to make one last scouting trip to the area you plan to hunt about one week before the actual hunt. Any sooner, and you may miss changes in the deer's travel patterns or routines. Any later, and you might alert the deer to your presence and they could avoid the area. As always, get in and out as quickly as possible while leaving as little scent behind you as you can.

POP QUIZ!

Every Monday will be a pop quiz. I will post three true or false archery/hunting questions for you to try your knowledge against. If you’re feeling froggy, you can leave your answers in a comment on my blog for the world to see. On the following Monday, I will post the answers to the previous week’s questions and then post three new questions. If you have specific questions you’d like answered, you can either leave a comment on my blog or send me an email at toddlydell@gmail.com.

Good luck everyone!

1. T / F A hoof print along with a dew claw imprint always indicates a buck track.

2. T / F If an area has a high buck-to-doe ratio (greater than 3 or 4 does for every buck), it’s easier to call, scent, rattle, or decoy bucks into your setups.

3. T / F The most dominant buck in an area will generally make the first scrapes of the season.