This year, I will be continuing my efforts to hunt where the buck is going to BE, not where it WAS.....in other words, I'll be focusing more on funnels and travel corridors and less on sign.
What lesson(s) did you learn last season that you will be expanding on this year to gain tactical advantage over your prey?
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1995 Ford Ranger XL
Douglas Radial Tires
Super Blue headlights
Fiberglass front bumper
2400 pounds
For me it was timing the deers feeding on mast. There were acorns all over the place for most of the early season, however the deer were not feeding on them until the end of October. So I'll need to find the early season food source. The entire point may be moot for me though since I'll be hunting on all new properties this year.
As a matter of fact that may be the biggest leason learned to give me a tactical advantage.How to findnew and potentially better places to hunt.
Last year, I started applying what mobow stated (about hunting where deer are going to be, not where they've been), but out of necessity rather than pure choice. We had an unusual lack of overall sign last year, and so I was forced to turn to maps of my property (which ironically I've never truly look at hunting-wise in 9 years I've been hunting) to find funnels, travel routes, etc. Deer sightings were up big time for me last season, and although I didn't take a buck, I learned quite a bit.
That, and the necessity of scent control. I practiced scent control religiously, and I feel that payed off as it was most likely a significant factor in my increased deer sightings.
The two are not multually exclusive. You should find that the most buck sign will be where they spend the most time and where they travel most frequently. Other than during the rut a mature buck will often "take the path less travelled by" (a little Robert Frost for ya) with some obvious exceptions.
All I am saying is don't be automatically turned off by sign. If I find an area that is continually filled with new rubs and scrapes you bet your bippy I am going to set up on it somehow.
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"We cannot expect the Americans to jump from capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving Americans small doses of socialism until they suddenly awake to find they have Communism" - Nikita Krushchev 1959
Huntingson, I agree w/ you 100%. I guess I was speaking more in general terms, such as tracks, droppings.....scattered rubs and such.....If I were to happen across a travel corridor w/ lots of buck sign....oh yeah, I'm gonna hunt it, no question about it.
I'm not "turned off" by deer sign, but I don't pay NEARLY as much attention to it as I once did. Only acouple short years ago, if I founddeer sign, that's where I was setting up. I saw lots of does, but no bucks. Now that Ifocus more on funnels and such, my buck sightings have gone up 100%.. But I certainly don't ignore it alltogether. Great tip bud.
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1995 Ford Ranger XL
Douglas Radial Tires
Super Blue headlights
Fiberglass front bumper
2400 pounds
This year, I will be continuing my efforts to hunt where the buck is going to BE, not where it WAS.....in other words, I'll be focusing more on funnels and travel corridors and less on sign.
What lesson(s) did you learn last season that you will be expanding on this year to gain tactical advantage over your prey?
This year, I will be continuing my efforts to hunt where the buck is going to BE, not where it WAS.....in other words, I'll be focusing more on funnels and travel corridors and less on sign.
What lesson(s) did you learn last season that you will be expanding on this year to gain tactical advantage over your prey?
I will be hunting with a 60 pound bow
And a Camo skirt
I was not setup for an E wind last year very well. We hardly get them, but we sure did last year, and that hurt me a lot.
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"it's not that I am lazy, I just don't care"
This year, I will be continuing my efforts to hunt where the buck is going to BE, not where it WAS.....in other words, I'll be focusing more on funnels and travel corridors and less on sign.
What lesson(s) did you learn last season that you will be expanding on this year to gain tactical advantage over your prey?
I will be hunting with a 60 pound bow
And a Camo skirt
I was not setup for an E wind last year very well. We hardly get them, but we sure did last year, and that hurt me a lot.
Off the top of my head your property isn't set up all that well for an E wind to begin with..... ??
This year, I will be continuing my efforts to hunt where the buck is going to BE, not where it WAS.....in other words, I'll be focusing more on funnels and travel corridors and less on sign.
What lesson(s) did you learn last season that you will be expanding on this year to gain tactical advantage over your prey?
I will be hunting with a 60 pound bow
And a Camo skirt
I was not setup for an E wind last year very well. We hardly get them, but we sure did last year, and that hurt me a lot.
Off the top of my head your property isn't set up all that well for an E wind to begin with..... ??
No it sucks, LOL I put a spot in I think will be good. I put it in in Decemeber last year and cleaned it up a bit.
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"it's not that I am lazy, I just don't care"
Gaining tactical advantage........
) with some obvious exceptions. 
