WEATHER
I, for one, am very thankful that we are not able to fully pattern deer and anticipate what they will do under every circumstance. Yes, we can generalize their tendencies, categorize their habits, and theorize their reactions but we can not wholly predict them. Being able to do so would likely be fun for a while but it would soon lose its appeal as the challenge of matching wits with the greatest game animal in the world would cease to exist.
So, anybody who tells you that EVERY deer will do the EXACT same thing ALL the time under CERTAIN conditions, is just a plain liar or is very ignorant
of deer behavior.
There are a wide range of factors that influence deer behavior. But for today, let’s talk about how the weather generally affects deer movement without hunting pressure.
There are three weather situations where most deer will generally bed down and not move unless absolutely forced to do so…they are heavy snowfalls, heavy rainfalls, or high winds.
If you’ve ever wanted to put your woodland skills to the test and try still hunting, this is the time to do it because a deer’s hearing, smelling, and eyesight are reduced to about our level.
It takes a hearty hunter to step outside a warm cabin and enter the woods under these conditions but this is when your chances are the best for
finding a bedded deer at close range in heavy cover.
Be ready to hunt food sources after the storms pass. Many times, deer will bed for a couple days waiting out the storm. When it’s over, they’ll be ready to eat.
At the other end of the spectrum is when it’s a beautiful sunny day with moderate temperatures and little or no wind. Deer are most alert at this time and if there are crunchy leaves on the ground, you can almost forget about walking up on a deer. The good news is that most deer will generally be active and this is a good time to be on a stand near trails or feeding areas.
Light rain or light snow with little or no wind does not seem to bother deer one way or the other. I am convinced however, that the precipitation falling across their field of vision somewhat reduces their ability to pick
up hunter movement and the heavy atmosphere hinders a deer’s sense of smell. Light precipitation also means a soft forest floor and footsteps are now muffled. On stand, a hunter will have to use his eyes a lot more.
There are many combinations of wind, temperature, and precipitation and those various combinations affect deer behavior differently. Many hunters are fair-weather fellows and are not willing to give up the comfort of a warm and dry cabin to venture out into the elements where the chances for success may be increased due to adverse weather. But with today’s high-tech clothing options, we can remain warm and dry on stand.
Give hunting a try in weather that is not so pleasant. Not only will you find that you may very well have the woods almost to yourself, but the
weather may help you in putting a deer on the meat pole.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
***ARCHERY TIP OF THE WEEK***
DECOYS - PART 2
***I am looking for feedback on my blog. Please feel free to leave your comments. Thanks***
In my last blog, I briefly touched on the use of a buck or doe decoy when hunting whitetails and how they might just be the trigger that fools that buck into coming within shooting range or at least hanging around long enough to give us a shot. In this installment, I’ll be discussing what, when, where, and how to use doe and buck decoys.
Around the end of October, bucks begin to establish their dominance for the mating rights that will soon follow. These rituals include the making of scrapes and rubs. These markers provide a way for deer to communicate to
each other. First they are visual but second, mature bucks deposit their scent in scrapes and on rubs advertising that they are the big man on campus. This is HIS turf and he will bring down the hammer on any other buck who might try mating with HIS does. Not only is the buck constantly looking for receptive does but he must also continually defend his right to breed with them.
First and foremost on his mind however, is breeding. A buck knows other bucks are in his area and if there is a receptive does nearby, he either has to be the first one to her or he has to fight.
Ever have this happen? You see a buck in the distance that has picked up the doe-in-heat scent you put out. But for some reason, he stops about 60
or 70 yards away. He’s looking in your direction but you know he hasn’t picked you off.
Why won’t he come in???
It’s because he has smelled what he believes is a receptive doe but he can’t see what he expects to see. He expects to see the doe that is giving off that wonderful odor. When his eyes can’t confirm what his nose has
smelled, a buck will sometimes hesitate to commit himself into coming in.
Now put a doe decoy out in front of your stand. When that buck stops at 70 yards, his eyes are now able to confirm what his nose smelled. The buck is now much more likely to commit himself to your set up.
A mature buck must also physically defend his right to breed with the does in his area. If you use rattle antlers or a grunt tube, a buck will sometimes circle downwind to validate the noise with his nose. This is where a good dominant buck scent comes in handy. Combine that with a
doe-in-heat scent and you have a one-two punch that will make it hard for the buck to resist.
But remember, a deer likes to confirm with its eyes what its nose or ears have detected. That buck that’s holding up at 70 yards now expects to either see two bucks squaring off or at least another buck. If you have that buck decoy in front of you and the buck sees it, you have completed the mental circuit for the buck to commit.
A couple key points to remember though.
When using a doe decoy, a buck will generally approach the decoy from the rear. When using a buck decoy, a buck will generally approach the decoy from the front. So don’t set up your decoy facing directly towards or away from you so that you’ll have a better chance at a broadside shot.
Set up your decoy about 10-15 yards from your stand. This will give you a little leeway in case the buck hangs up a few yards away from your decoy.
Use a scent eliminator on your decoy after you have it set up and then place your attractant scent on a stick under your decoy. It will give that
buck one more thing to think about so he can’t think about you.
Place your decoy in an area that a deer can see it.
A full size 3D deer works best. “Frank” is my 3D target deer that doubles as my decoy. When I take the antlers off of him, he becomes “Francine” and
is quite alluring.
Give decoys a try this fall and I think you’ll find more deer coming in to your set up.
***I am looking for feedback on my blog. Please feel free to leave your comments. Thanks***
In my last blog, I briefly touched on the use of a buck or doe decoy when hunting whitetails and how they might just be the trigger that fools that buck into coming within shooting range or at least hanging around long enough to give us a shot. In this installment, I’ll be discussing what, when, where, and how to use doe and buck decoys.
Around the end of October, bucks begin to establish their dominance for the mating rights that will soon follow. These rituals include the making of scrapes and rubs. These markers provide a way for deer to communicate to
each other. First they are visual but second, mature bucks deposit their scent in scrapes and on rubs advertising that they are the big man on campus. This is HIS turf and he will bring down the hammer on any other buck who might try mating with HIS does. Not only is the buck constantly looking for receptive does but he must also continually defend his right to breed with them.
First and foremost on his mind however, is breeding. A buck knows other bucks are in his area and if there is a receptive does nearby, he either has to be the first one to her or he has to fight.
Ever have this happen? You see a buck in the distance that has picked up the doe-in-heat scent you put out. But for some reason, he stops about 60
or 70 yards away. He’s looking in your direction but you know he hasn’t picked you off.
Why won’t he come in???
It’s because he has smelled what he believes is a receptive doe but he can’t see what he expects to see. He expects to see the doe that is giving off that wonderful odor. When his eyes can’t confirm what his nose has
smelled, a buck will sometimes hesitate to commit himself into coming in.
Now put a doe decoy out in front of your stand. When that buck stops at 70 yards, his eyes are now able to confirm what his nose smelled. The buck is now much more likely to commit himself to your set up.
A mature buck must also physically defend his right to breed with the does in his area. If you use rattle antlers or a grunt tube, a buck will sometimes circle downwind to validate the noise with his nose. This is where a good dominant buck scent comes in handy. Combine that with a
doe-in-heat scent and you have a one-two punch that will make it hard for the buck to resist.
But remember, a deer likes to confirm with its eyes what its nose or ears have detected. That buck that’s holding up at 70 yards now expects to either see two bucks squaring off or at least another buck. If you have that buck decoy in front of you and the buck sees it, you have completed the mental circuit for the buck to commit.
A couple key points to remember though.
When using a doe decoy, a buck will generally approach the decoy from the rear. When using a buck decoy, a buck will generally approach the decoy from the front. So don’t set up your decoy facing directly towards or away from you so that you’ll have a better chance at a broadside shot.
Set up your decoy about 10-15 yards from your stand. This will give you a little leeway in case the buck hangs up a few yards away from your decoy.
Use a scent eliminator on your decoy after you have it set up and then place your attractant scent on a stick under your decoy. It will give that
buck one more thing to think about so he can’t think about you.
Place your decoy in an area that a deer can see it.
A full size 3D deer works best. “Frank” is my 3D target deer that doubles as my decoy. When I take the antlers off of him, he becomes “Francine” and
is quite alluring.
Give decoys a try this fall and I think you’ll find more deer coming in to your set up.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
***ARCHERY TIP OF THE WEEK***
DECOYS
***I am looking for feedback on my blog. Please feel free to leave your comment. Thanks.***
A number of years ago, our whole family took a vacation together at the Outer Banks. During our stay, my brother-in-law, Michael, and I decided to play a round of golf. As we were driving our cart between holes, we noticed a $5 bill lying in the middle of the cart path. As Michael stopped the cart, I quickly scampered towards the $5 bill. But just as I reached for it, the bill suddenly scooted away from me. Thinking that the wind was responsible, I took a few steps and once again reached down for the bill. But yet again, it fluttered away.
“Oh!” Michael muttered.
I looked up and hiding behind a nearby sand dune was a 10 or 11 year old boy. He had a small stick with a long length of fishing string on it. And at the end of the fishing string…..was that $5 bill! The boy was laughing and Michael and I realized, with smiles, that we had been tricked big time! We had been duped into believing that the $5 was ours for the taking but in reality, we had been lured into a child’s clever scheme.
Archery hunters are always looking for ways to get closer to deer so that when we release our arrow, we have a greater chance of taking them in the boiler room for a quick and humane kill. But more often than not, we are actually looking for ways to get the deer closer to us. We want the deer to be duped into believing one thing, but in reality, we are luring them into a clever trap.
We use attractant scents to fool a buck’s nose. We use grunt tubes and rattling antlers to fool a buck’s ears. Both methods can deceive a buck into thinking that we are either a hot doe or another buck moving in on his turf. Sometimes, these tricks work and the buck comes close enough to us to give us a shot.
A few years ago, I brought two bucks 100 yards across an open field to within 15 yards of my stand using just a grunt tube and a can call (doe bleat). Unfortunately, by the time they presented a clear shot to me, I ran out of daylight. Two does had also come directly beneath my stand from the opposite direction.
But another way to fool a buck is the use of a decoy. This technique fools a deer’s sense of sight. When combined with scents, grunt tubes, rattling antlers, or can calls, a buck or doe decoy will very often close the deal for a buck and bring him in for a shot. Very often, a buck wants to confirm with his eyes what his nose or ears have picked up.
If a buck smells what he thinks is a receptive doe, he will follow the scent trail and expect to SEE a doe at its origin. The same principle applies to a buck’s ears. If he hears what he thinks is another mature buck or a pair of bucks battling it out, he will come in and expect to SEE a buck at the source of the sound.
There are buck and doe decoys and each should be used at different times of the season and under different circumstances. In my next installment of “Archery Tip of the Week” I’ll discuss when, how, and where to use buck and doe decoys.
Many archery hunters use products to fool a deer’s nose and ears. Very few use decoys to fool a deer’s eyes. I hope that this season, some of you will try out decoys and I’ll bet that if you use them correctly, you’ll have better success at getting that buck within range.
***I am looking for feedback on my blog. Please feel free to leave your comment. Thanks.***
A number of years ago, our whole family took a vacation together at the Outer Banks. During our stay, my brother-in-law, Michael, and I decided to play a round of golf. As we were driving our cart between holes, we noticed a $5 bill lying in the middle of the cart path. As Michael stopped the cart, I quickly scampered towards the $5 bill. But just as I reached for it, the bill suddenly scooted away from me. Thinking that the wind was responsible, I took a few steps and once again reached down for the bill. But yet again, it fluttered away.
“Oh!” Michael muttered.
I looked up and hiding behind a nearby sand dune was a 10 or 11 year old boy. He had a small stick with a long length of fishing string on it. And at the end of the fishing string…..was that $5 bill! The boy was laughing and Michael and I realized, with smiles, that we had been tricked big time! We had been duped into believing that the $5 was ours for the taking but in reality, we had been lured into a child’s clever scheme.
Archery hunters are always looking for ways to get closer to deer so that when we release our arrow, we have a greater chance of taking them in the boiler room for a quick and humane kill. But more often than not, we are actually looking for ways to get the deer closer to us. We want the deer to be duped into believing one thing, but in reality, we are luring them into a clever trap.
We use attractant scents to fool a buck’s nose. We use grunt tubes and rattling antlers to fool a buck’s ears. Both methods can deceive a buck into thinking that we are either a hot doe or another buck moving in on his turf. Sometimes, these tricks work and the buck comes close enough to us to give us a shot.
A few years ago, I brought two bucks 100 yards across an open field to within 15 yards of my stand using just a grunt tube and a can call (doe bleat). Unfortunately, by the time they presented a clear shot to me, I ran out of daylight. Two does had also come directly beneath my stand from the opposite direction.
But another way to fool a buck is the use of a decoy. This technique fools a deer’s sense of sight. When combined with scents, grunt tubes, rattling antlers, or can calls, a buck or doe decoy will very often close the deal for a buck and bring him in for a shot. Very often, a buck wants to confirm with his eyes what his nose or ears have picked up.
If a buck smells what he thinks is a receptive doe, he will follow the scent trail and expect to SEE a doe at its origin. The same principle applies to a buck’s ears. If he hears what he thinks is another mature buck or a pair of bucks battling it out, he will come in and expect to SEE a buck at the source of the sound.
There are buck and doe decoys and each should be used at different times of the season and under different circumstances. In my next installment of “Archery Tip of the Week” I’ll discuss when, how, and where to use buck and doe decoys.
Many archery hunters use products to fool a deer’s nose and ears. Very few use decoys to fool a deer’s eyes. I hope that this season, some of you will try out decoys and I’ll bet that if you use them correctly, you’ll have better success at getting that buck within range.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Temptation
A little over a month ago, I blew out my right Achilles tendon while playing softball. I was looking at a stand-up triple but never made it to
first base. Since then, I’ve had surgery, developed complications a couple weeks later, and ended up in Intensive Care with two blood clots in my lungs. It was a scary thing considering that both clots passed through my
heart and ended up lodged in my lungs. I’m happy to report that I feel much better, am on the road to recovery, and can’t wait to shoot my bow again.
While many good things have actually come of this whole mess, one BIG thing is that I have not had a dip of snuff since the day I was admitted to the ER on July 17. It was a two-decade old habit I’ve tried to break many times
without success. But something is different now…this time, I WANT to quit.
It’s amazing how a near death experience can change a person.
Now, don’t get me wrong…my body still craves that nicotine and it plays games with my mind. I’m still tempted to dip. It’s still early yet but I pray that God will give me the strength to kick the habit this time and
resist the temptation.
As hunters, we are forced to battle some form of temptation from time to time too.
It’s tempting to shave off a couple of minutes and not bother with the safety harness.
It’s tempting to hang the stand on the property you don’t have permission to hunt.
It’s tempting not to follow up on a shot that you’re pretty sure you missed.
It’s tempting to take that shot that you know is outside the range of your comfort zone.
It’s tempting to stay on stand just a few minutes past legal shooting hours.
But every time we overcome the temptation to do what we KNOW is wrong, we build up inside ourselves a little thing called “character”. And each time we overcome a temptation, getting passed the next one becomes easier. Soon, we get to the point where we are no longer tempted because we have trained our minds, bodies, and hearts to do the right thing automatically without even thinking about it.
It’s not easy to resist temptation and sadly we all probably know someone who has no reservations about giving in to questionable, unethical, or even illegal hunting practices. But don’t let yourself be lured into this way of thinking.
You’ll be surprised at how good you feel when you do the RIGHT thing while knowing that the WRONG thing was easier or could produce better results.
first base. Since then, I’ve had surgery, developed complications a couple weeks later, and ended up in Intensive Care with two blood clots in my lungs. It was a scary thing considering that both clots passed through my
heart and ended up lodged in my lungs. I’m happy to report that I feel much better, am on the road to recovery, and can’t wait to shoot my bow again.
While many good things have actually come of this whole mess, one BIG thing is that I have not had a dip of snuff since the day I was admitted to the ER on July 17. It was a two-decade old habit I’ve tried to break many times
without success. But something is different now…this time, I WANT to quit.
It’s amazing how a near death experience can change a person.
Now, don’t get me wrong…my body still craves that nicotine and it plays games with my mind. I’m still tempted to dip. It’s still early yet but I pray that God will give me the strength to kick the habit this time and
resist the temptation.
As hunters, we are forced to battle some form of temptation from time to time too.
It’s tempting to shave off a couple of minutes and not bother with the safety harness.
It’s tempting to hang the stand on the property you don’t have permission to hunt.
It’s tempting not to follow up on a shot that you’re pretty sure you missed.
It’s tempting to take that shot that you know is outside the range of your comfort zone.
It’s tempting to stay on stand just a few minutes past legal shooting hours.
But every time we overcome the temptation to do what we KNOW is wrong, we build up inside ourselves a little thing called “character”. And each time we overcome a temptation, getting passed the next one becomes easier. Soon, we get to the point where we are no longer tempted because we have trained our minds, bodies, and hearts to do the right thing automatically without even thinking about it.
It’s not easy to resist temptation and sadly we all probably know someone who has no reservations about giving in to questionable, unethical, or even illegal hunting practices. But don’t let yourself be lured into this way of thinking.
You’ll be surprised at how good you feel when you do the RIGHT thing while knowing that the WRONG thing was easier or could produce better results.
Friday, July 17, 2009
***ARCHERY TIP OF THE WEEK***
SCOUTING
“Always be prepared” is a motto that every archery hunter should adopt.
Very seldom does it happen that a hunter walks into a piece of woods he’s never been in before, finds any old tree, hangs a stand, and arrows a deer sporting head gear. It does happen but much of it is attributed to luck. As for me, I’d much rather stack the odds in my favor just a little bit. I want to know where the bedding and feeding areas are in the area I hunt. I want to know where that little stand of white oaks is located and when they start dropping acorns. I want to about that draw coming down from a ridge
that seems to funnel deer up and down from the flats below. I want to know where the rub lines and scrapes are located. I just want to know. I want to
know that the stand site I eventually select is going to provide the best shooting opportunities when the opening horn is sounded.
So, how do we get to that point? The answer is scouting so that we’ll be prepared.
Many whole books have been written on what to look for when scouting for whitetails so I can’t possibly tell you everything you should be looking for. What I can do is give you a place to start though.
Topographical maps and aerial photos are an invaluable tool when starting out. Using topo maps from your kitchen table you can pinpoint hilltops,
topographical funnels, draws, spurs, and ridge lines. Aerial photos allow you the ability to find fields, wooded funnels, heavy cover areas, and edges where two types of vegetation meet. Many of these maps can be found online for free. I like to print my topo maps on see-through sheets and
then overlay them onto print-outs of the aerial photos to give me an overall portrait of the cover and topography. If you do this, make sure both maps are in the same scale. Many of the things I want to know about can be found without having to leave the comfort of my home. While there is much more information that these two types of maps provide, deer will utilize all the terrain features I’ve mentioned. If you can find a ridge line that has a couple draws leading down to a field edge, you may have found a good early season stand site. The corner of a field that is hidden behind a hill from prying eyes is a prime area for deer to gather in the
late afternoon.
Patterning deer on fields from a distance with binoculars is another form of scouting for early season hunting. Be aware that once the deer feel that
they are being hunted, it won’t be long before the deer wait until dark to enter the field. But here’s the cool thing. Very seldom will deer totally abandon a feeding area. The deer are still near the field but now they are
hanging back in staging areas around the field until darkness. They’ll still generally leave their beds at the same time each day, but they’ll take their sweet time getting to the field. For bucks, look for ridges near
the field edge. Bucks will sometimes check out the field from a vantage point before using the cover of darkness to access the field. Back tracking trails from the field edges to find heavy cover areas where deer might
stage before entering the field is another good way to find where the deer are hanging out.
The very best method of scouting is to physically get out into the area you plan to hunt and check it out personally. Ideally, the preferred time to do this is after all hunting seasons have closed and before the spring green up. Yeah, it may be cold but you accomplish two things at this time of year. First, the woods will look very similar to what you’ll face in the fall. Summer scouting is more comfortable but with all the leaves on the trees you may miss important features in the distance. Second, you won’t be disrupting deer patterns. They’ll have plenty of time to forget all about
your intrusion into their world by the time the season opens in the fall.
Whatever you do, try to avoid scouting your hunting area in the weeks immediately before the season. A wary old buck may not be over your presence before the season opens.
Most important of all is to enjoy your scouting excursions. Involve the family or hunting buddies on your outings. Scouting during the off-season can keep you pumped up.
“Always be prepared” is a motto that every archery hunter should adopt.
Very seldom does it happen that a hunter walks into a piece of woods he’s never been in before, finds any old tree, hangs a stand, and arrows a deer sporting head gear. It does happen but much of it is attributed to luck. As for me, I’d much rather stack the odds in my favor just a little bit. I want to know where the bedding and feeding areas are in the area I hunt. I want to know where that little stand of white oaks is located and when they start dropping acorns. I want to about that draw coming down from a ridge
that seems to funnel deer up and down from the flats below. I want to know where the rub lines and scrapes are located. I just want to know. I want to
know that the stand site I eventually select is going to provide the best shooting opportunities when the opening horn is sounded.
So, how do we get to that point? The answer is scouting so that we’ll be prepared.
Many whole books have been written on what to look for when scouting for whitetails so I can’t possibly tell you everything you should be looking for. What I can do is give you a place to start though.
Topographical maps and aerial photos are an invaluable tool when starting out. Using topo maps from your kitchen table you can pinpoint hilltops,
topographical funnels, draws, spurs, and ridge lines. Aerial photos allow you the ability to find fields, wooded funnels, heavy cover areas, and edges where two types of vegetation meet. Many of these maps can be found online for free. I like to print my topo maps on see-through sheets and
then overlay them onto print-outs of the aerial photos to give me an overall portrait of the cover and topography. If you do this, make sure both maps are in the same scale. Many of the things I want to know about can be found without having to leave the comfort of my home. While there is much more information that these two types of maps provide, deer will utilize all the terrain features I’ve mentioned. If you can find a ridge line that has a couple draws leading down to a field edge, you may have found a good early season stand site. The corner of a field that is hidden behind a hill from prying eyes is a prime area for deer to gather in the
late afternoon.
Patterning deer on fields from a distance with binoculars is another form of scouting for early season hunting. Be aware that once the deer feel that
they are being hunted, it won’t be long before the deer wait until dark to enter the field. But here’s the cool thing. Very seldom will deer totally abandon a feeding area. The deer are still near the field but now they are
hanging back in staging areas around the field until darkness. They’ll still generally leave their beds at the same time each day, but they’ll take their sweet time getting to the field. For bucks, look for ridges near
the field edge. Bucks will sometimes check out the field from a vantage point before using the cover of darkness to access the field. Back tracking trails from the field edges to find heavy cover areas where deer might
stage before entering the field is another good way to find where the deer are hanging out.
The very best method of scouting is to physically get out into the area you plan to hunt and check it out personally. Ideally, the preferred time to do this is after all hunting seasons have closed and before the spring green up. Yeah, it may be cold but you accomplish two things at this time of year. First, the woods will look very similar to what you’ll face in the fall. Summer scouting is more comfortable but with all the leaves on the trees you may miss important features in the distance. Second, you won’t be disrupting deer patterns. They’ll have plenty of time to forget all about
your intrusion into their world by the time the season opens in the fall.
Whatever you do, try to avoid scouting your hunting area in the weeks immediately before the season. A wary old buck may not be over your presence before the season opens.
Most important of all is to enjoy your scouting excursions. Involve the family or hunting buddies on your outings. Scouting during the off-season can keep you pumped up.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
***ARCHERY TIP OF THE WEEK***
SAFETY
A lot of things can completely ruin a good hunt. Missing a standing broadside shot at 22 yards comes to my mind immediately but other things
can contribute to turning a good hunt into a bad hunt. These things might include…
Weather
Another hunter moving through your area
A drive that gets totally messed up
The list is endless. But nothing will ruin a good hunt faster (and perhaps ruin your life) than having an accident while hunting.
There’s no way we can totally eliminate all the chances of us having an accident while in the field but there are many things we can do that will
drastically reduce those chances.
First and foremost is the wearing of a fall restraint device (safety harness) while hunting from an elevated stand. Most hunting accidents occur while a hunter is getting into or out of a stand. Your harness should be on and clipped to a safety rope while both feet are still firmly on the ground. Quite often, we are entering our stands in the darkness. Sometimes our stands are wet or even ice covered. Lots of time, it’s very early in the morning and we may still be a little sleepy. Any of those elements alone are a recipe for disaster unless we take precautions that only take a
few seconds to incorporate into our hunt. No deer or deer hunt is worth even taking the chance of a fall that could result in serious injury or
even death.
Always let someone know where you’ll be and about what time you’ll be back.
If you plan on being back shortly after dark but you arrow a deer just at dusk that you now have to wait on, track, field dress, and then get back to your truck, make sure you contact someone to let them know you’ll be late.
Carrying a cell phone is always a good idea. I put mine on vibrate while I’m in the stand with strict orders for my family to call me only in an emergency.
Always follow the legal blaze orange clothing requirements for the state you are hunting in. Many times archery season overlaps with rifle, muzzleloader, small game, or fall turkey hunting seasons that require archers to wear and/or display blaze orange.
Read up on and follow all local, state, and federal hunting regulations. We may not understand why certain game laws are in the books (wearing a back tag in Pennsylvania comes to my mind) but many laws are instituted because they have safety in mind.
If you are hunting with others, insist they follow safe hunting practices as well.
Many accidents occur because someone is not paying attention. The excitement of the hunt sometimes becomes overwhelming and safety is
ignored. Pay attention to every move you make while hunting.
An accident not only will affect you, but will affect your family and friends. Hunt safe.
A lot of things can completely ruin a good hunt. Missing a standing broadside shot at 22 yards comes to my mind immediately but other things
can contribute to turning a good hunt into a bad hunt. These things might include…
Weather
Another hunter moving through your area
A drive that gets totally messed up
The list is endless. But nothing will ruin a good hunt faster (and perhaps ruin your life) than having an accident while hunting.
There’s no way we can totally eliminate all the chances of us having an accident while in the field but there are many things we can do that will
drastically reduce those chances.
First and foremost is the wearing of a fall restraint device (safety harness) while hunting from an elevated stand. Most hunting accidents occur while a hunter is getting into or out of a stand. Your harness should be on and clipped to a safety rope while both feet are still firmly on the ground. Quite often, we are entering our stands in the darkness. Sometimes our stands are wet or even ice covered. Lots of time, it’s very early in the morning and we may still be a little sleepy. Any of those elements alone are a recipe for disaster unless we take precautions that only take a
few seconds to incorporate into our hunt. No deer or deer hunt is worth even taking the chance of a fall that could result in serious injury or
even death.
Always let someone know where you’ll be and about what time you’ll be back.
If you plan on being back shortly after dark but you arrow a deer just at dusk that you now have to wait on, track, field dress, and then get back to your truck, make sure you contact someone to let them know you’ll be late.
Carrying a cell phone is always a good idea. I put mine on vibrate while I’m in the stand with strict orders for my family to call me only in an emergency.
Always follow the legal blaze orange clothing requirements for the state you are hunting in. Many times archery season overlaps with rifle, muzzleloader, small game, or fall turkey hunting seasons that require archers to wear and/or display blaze orange.
Read up on and follow all local, state, and federal hunting regulations. We may not understand why certain game laws are in the books (wearing a back tag in Pennsylvania comes to my mind) but many laws are instituted because they have safety in mind.
If you are hunting with others, insist they follow safe hunting practices as well.
Many accidents occur because someone is not paying attention. The excitement of the hunt sometimes becomes overwhelming and safety is
ignored. Pay attention to every move you make while hunting.
An accident not only will affect you, but will affect your family and friends. Hunt safe.
Friday, July 3, 2009
***ARCHERY TIP OF THE WEEK***
HUNTING FUNNELS
We’ve all been there. We know there are plenty of deer in the area we hunt because we’ve seen their sign and even the deer themselves. We’ve watched them come out to field edges to feed in the late summer, found those oak ridges that whitetails love so much, and even identified some potential bedding areas. The problem is, we can never seem to be in the right place at the right time. We put our stand in tree “A” and they pass by tree “B”. The next afternoon we set up in tree “B” and we watch them walk by tree “C”. The deer seem to be traveling wherever they choose at that particular time. An archery hunter can go mad trying to figure out deer travel patterns. So what can we do? How can we place ourselves in a spot that we KNOW a deer will walk by that’s within shooting distance? The answer my friends can be stated in one word…funnels!
A funnel is created by natural or man-made “obstacles” that condense deer travel down to a narrow corridor for a short distance. These obstacles can be any number of things…lakes, swamps, fast moving and deep streams, steep hillsides, fields, heavily traveled roads, buildings, large amounts of fallen timber, rock slides…anything that makes the deer detour so that they are forced into a condensed travel passage.
Deer are basically lazy creatures and they prefer travel routes that offer the least resistance while still providing adequate cover. Except for perhaps the rut, bucks will not forsake safety for ease. Generally speaking, deer will skirt lakes, they’ll cross fast moving streams in the shallows, the will avoid going up or down steep hillsides, they stay away from crossing open fields, and they’ll shy away from roads and buildings.
By utilizing free online aerial photos (Google Maps are excellent) you can easily identify most funnel locations. Remembering what I said before, look for anything that might force deer into a narrow travel corridor. A prime example would be a hedgerow across a field that connects two large wooded areas. Instead of crossing the open field, deer will utilize the hedgerow to get from one wooded area to the other.
Topographic maps are invaluable in finding steep hillsides from your kitchen table. The closer the contour lines are together, the steeper the hill. If you find a steep hillside that levels out 50 yards from the edge of a field, lake, or swamp chances are you have found a good funnel. Think about it…a well placed tree stand directly in the middle of this funnel allows the archery hunter a 25 yard shot to each side. But remember, the funnel must connect two areas that the deer want to get to.
If you can find a funnel that connects a bedding area to a feeding area, you’d better be prepared for some action. In this type of situation, you’re going to want to be on stand very early in the morning because bucks are usually the first to head back to their bedding area. And you’ll want to stay on stand as late as you can because bucks will generally be the last to approach a feeding area.
I know I’ve mentioned this before but you’ll want to pay very close attention to how you enter and exit your stand. In such a confined area such as a funnel, scent control once on your stand is also of vital importance. Do NOT, under any circumstance, get into a stand in a funnel where the wind is blowing in the direction you expect the deer to be coming from. If they scent you, you will never see them.
Hunting funnels can be a season-long provider of shooting opportunities. I hope we are never able to completely figure out deer travel patterns…what would be the fun in that? But funnels do have the potential to provide us those little honey holes that we can go back to over and over again.
We’ve all been there. We know there are plenty of deer in the area we hunt because we’ve seen their sign and even the deer themselves. We’ve watched them come out to field edges to feed in the late summer, found those oak ridges that whitetails love so much, and even identified some potential bedding areas. The problem is, we can never seem to be in the right place at the right time. We put our stand in tree “A” and they pass by tree “B”. The next afternoon we set up in tree “B” and we watch them walk by tree “C”. The deer seem to be traveling wherever they choose at that particular time. An archery hunter can go mad trying to figure out deer travel patterns. So what can we do? How can we place ourselves in a spot that we KNOW a deer will walk by that’s within shooting distance? The answer my friends can be stated in one word…funnels!
A funnel is created by natural or man-made “obstacles” that condense deer travel down to a narrow corridor for a short distance. These obstacles can be any number of things…lakes, swamps, fast moving and deep streams, steep hillsides, fields, heavily traveled roads, buildings, large amounts of fallen timber, rock slides…anything that makes the deer detour so that they are forced into a condensed travel passage.
Deer are basically lazy creatures and they prefer travel routes that offer the least resistance while still providing adequate cover. Except for perhaps the rut, bucks will not forsake safety for ease. Generally speaking, deer will skirt lakes, they’ll cross fast moving streams in the shallows, the will avoid going up or down steep hillsides, they stay away from crossing open fields, and they’ll shy away from roads and buildings.
By utilizing free online aerial photos (Google Maps are excellent) you can easily identify most funnel locations. Remembering what I said before, look for anything that might force deer into a narrow travel corridor. A prime example would be a hedgerow across a field that connects two large wooded areas. Instead of crossing the open field, deer will utilize the hedgerow to get from one wooded area to the other.
Topographic maps are invaluable in finding steep hillsides from your kitchen table. The closer the contour lines are together, the steeper the hill. If you find a steep hillside that levels out 50 yards from the edge of a field, lake, or swamp chances are you have found a good funnel. Think about it…a well placed tree stand directly in the middle of this funnel allows the archery hunter a 25 yard shot to each side. But remember, the funnel must connect two areas that the deer want to get to.
If you can find a funnel that connects a bedding area to a feeding area, you’d better be prepared for some action. In this type of situation, you’re going to want to be on stand very early in the morning because bucks are usually the first to head back to their bedding area. And you’ll want to stay on stand as late as you can because bucks will generally be the last to approach a feeding area.
I know I’ve mentioned this before but you’ll want to pay very close attention to how you enter and exit your stand. In such a confined area such as a funnel, scent control once on your stand is also of vital importance. Do NOT, under any circumstance, get into a stand in a funnel where the wind is blowing in the direction you expect the deer to be coming from. If they scent you, you will never see them.
Hunting funnels can be a season-long provider of shooting opportunities. I hope we are never able to completely figure out deer travel patterns…what would be the fun in that? But funnels do have the potential to provide us those little honey holes that we can go back to over and over again.
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