High Pressure Hunting
09-23-2008, 12:01 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 4
High Pressure Hunting
Hello All,
Long-time reader, first-time 'user'; the archery opener in my state is closing in and the nights are getting more and more sleepless...
I am a life-long hunter, but have only been "obsessively" bow-hunting for the last 6 years. I have had good success on private property in my home county in recent years, but it seems as though every year brings new landowners, new hunters, new trespassers, and a host of assorted pressures each season. More and more folks are taking up bowhunting, and I am in the process of trying to switch tactics to increase my own success.
The primary element(s) I have always used to assure myself of possibility for harvesting mature bucks is that I live/hunt in an area that produces them, and that I am willing to spend the time necessary in the field to have the chance. I used the "spend every possible second in the tree" approach during the 06' season to harvest my first P&Y buck, which grossed 147" and was taken on the very last day of late archery.
The areas where I hunt whitetails are the textbook Midwestern fertile farm areas, but with the addition of an ever-increasing suburban/subdivision presence. Most sections in my county have anywhere from 5-15% woodlot, with a lot of edge/fencerow, and row-crops. Not many pastures, topographical features, or large timber. There is a large deer population and a good supply of large bucks (we have a 1-buck rule which seems to have definitely increased the number of good antlered deer); and virtually no public access. Which *should* mean that those lucky enough to have hunting permission should have good success. Well, the last couple years I'm seeing more trucks, more stands, more guys, more rumors, etc...
These people have cable and think that "Realtree Outdoors" is real-life hunting all day long - they grunt and rattle and use the latest-and-greatest products that are offered...To what successful end - I dunno.
I have made good (and bad) choices and done research in the field and on the books on good stand prep, management, etc...This year I want to go a different direction. I want to disappear. I want to be a shadow in the most unlikely spot in a 640 acre section with 15 different landowners and a subdivision in the mix...
These big bucks in Central Indiana are a different breed. I feel like I am hunting a human with enhanced senses. Instead of doing things that seem right or normal or things I see 'pros' do, I'm going to some unexpected things...Here are some of my ideas and questions to the bowhunters:
- What is your idea (or what you use) of best possible human scent management? This will be my first year trying a Scent Lok garment (tried the old carbon suit years ago and did not like it, trying the new Savanna EXT - clearanced). I am going for maximum scent elimination and I am not going to use any cover scents, attractants, or etc. EVERYBODY around here is dumping crap or wicking or whatever - maybe I shouldn't.
- Looking past bottlenecks, bed-to-feeds, doe bedding areas, funnels, etc...What types of stand sites do you find successful in high-pressure areas with little cover? I'm thinking of unexpected isolated cover areas, small weedpatches within 50 yards of residential, that little drainage with 25 ft. of vegetative buffer zone, etc...Ideas or examples?
- Identifying buck escape routes ; I know where many of the adjacent hunting parties enter/exit the field...Suggestions on catching jumped/spooked deer? I know public land hunters know this stuff...Ideas?
- Minimizing calling or attracting ; I'm not a big rattler or caller simply because by the pre-rut all the newbie bowhunters have rattle bag'ged and Tru-Talker'ed every woods in the county.
Any suggestions pertaining to the general thought of successful "high pressure" hunting would be appreciated. I'm sure there are a lot of hunters who frequent this that endure similar circumstances. In my home state of Indiana, the rural/suburban matrix dominates the landscape except for the southern 3rd of the state, so tips could really benefit many readers.
Thanks in advance and I'm excited about joining H-Net...
Blade Runner
Launching Muzzy 3-Blades from a Parker Hunter Mag.
Long-time reader, first-time 'user'; the archery opener in my state is closing in and the nights are getting more and more sleepless...
I am a life-long hunter, but have only been "obsessively" bow-hunting for the last 6 years. I have had good success on private property in my home county in recent years, but it seems as though every year brings new landowners, new hunters, new trespassers, and a host of assorted pressures each season. More and more folks are taking up bowhunting, and I am in the process of trying to switch tactics to increase my own success.
The primary element(s) I have always used to assure myself of possibility for harvesting mature bucks is that I live/hunt in an area that produces them, and that I am willing to spend the time necessary in the field to have the chance. I used the "spend every possible second in the tree" approach during the 06' season to harvest my first P&Y buck, which grossed 147" and was taken on the very last day of late archery.
The areas where I hunt whitetails are the textbook Midwestern fertile farm areas, but with the addition of an ever-increasing suburban/subdivision presence. Most sections in my county have anywhere from 5-15% woodlot, with a lot of edge/fencerow, and row-crops. Not many pastures, topographical features, or large timber. There is a large deer population and a good supply of large bucks (we have a 1-buck rule which seems to have definitely increased the number of good antlered deer); and virtually no public access. Which *should* mean that those lucky enough to have hunting permission should have good success. Well, the last couple years I'm seeing more trucks, more stands, more guys, more rumors, etc...
These people have cable and think that "Realtree Outdoors" is real-life hunting all day long - they grunt and rattle and use the latest-and-greatest products that are offered...To what successful end - I dunno.
I have made good (and bad) choices and done research in the field and on the books on good stand prep, management, etc...This year I want to go a different direction. I want to disappear. I want to be a shadow in the most unlikely spot in a 640 acre section with 15 different landowners and a subdivision in the mix...
These big bucks in Central Indiana are a different breed. I feel like I am hunting a human with enhanced senses. Instead of doing things that seem right or normal or things I see 'pros' do, I'm going to some unexpected things...Here are some of my ideas and questions to the bowhunters:
- What is your idea (or what you use) of best possible human scent management? This will be my first year trying a Scent Lok garment (tried the old carbon suit years ago and did not like it, trying the new Savanna EXT - clearanced). I am going for maximum scent elimination and I am not going to use any cover scents, attractants, or etc. EVERYBODY around here is dumping crap or wicking or whatever - maybe I shouldn't.
- Looking past bottlenecks, bed-to-feeds, doe bedding areas, funnels, etc...What types of stand sites do you find successful in high-pressure areas with little cover? I'm thinking of unexpected isolated cover areas, small weedpatches within 50 yards of residential, that little drainage with 25 ft. of vegetative buffer zone, etc...Ideas or examples?
- Identifying buck escape routes ; I know where many of the adjacent hunting parties enter/exit the field...Suggestions on catching jumped/spooked deer? I know public land hunters know this stuff...Ideas?
- Minimizing calling or attracting ; I'm not a big rattler or caller simply because by the pre-rut all the newbie bowhunters have rattle bag'ged and Tru-Talker'ed every woods in the county.
Any suggestions pertaining to the general thought of successful "high pressure" hunting would be appreciated. I'm sure there are a lot of hunters who frequent this that endure similar circumstances. In my home state of Indiana, the rural/suburban matrix dominates the landscape except for the southern 3rd of the state, so tips could really benefit many readers.
Thanks in advance and I'm excited about joining H-Net...
Blade Runner
Launching Muzzy 3-Blades from a Parker Hunter Mag.
09-23-2008, 01:25 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ohio and Indiana
Posts: 2,088
RE: High Pressure Hunting
Or read John Eberhardts Precision Bowhunting...
Yea, identifying buck escape routes is a great idea. I'm not big into rattling a lot either but Im gonna do some light rattling early.
Where in Central Indiana? I've hunted Morgan and Monroe counties the last two years. I'll be up there this year for only a weekend cuz I'm gonna hunt mostly onmy new property in Southeast IN. Welcome aboard theres a lot of good people on here.
Adam Bowman
Yea, identifying buck escape routes is a great idea. I'm not big into rattling a lot either but Im gonna do some light rattling early.
Where in Central Indiana? I've hunted Morgan and Monroe counties the last two years. I'll be up there this year for only a weekend cuz I'm gonna hunt mostly onmy new property in Southeast IN. Welcome aboard theres a lot of good people on here.
Adam Bowman
09-23-2008, 02:23 PM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Phoenixville, PA USA
Posts: 5,541
RE: High Pressure Hunting
bladerunner, with the exception of living in the midwest that post sounds like I could have written it. Many of the tactics you are considering are those that I employ. We'll see in a few weeks how successfully, but my area receives a lot of pressure from those with and without permission so it's a two-way battle. You match wits with the whitetails and then have to consider how they will react to the other hunters. The books and DVDs are good suggestions. Another one is Year Round Trophy Whitetails by Joe Brooks.
Good luck this fall and I'll be pulling for a fellow hunter using what I call "ninja" tactics (undetected and lethal).
Good luck this fall and I'll be pulling for a fellow hunter using what I call "ninja" tactics (undetected and lethal).
09-23-2008, 02:47 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 4
RE: High Pressure Hunting
Thanks for the replies and good luck.
KG: I found some info on the John Eberhardt DVDs and an excerpt from an article he wrote (it was actually linked from the Scent Lok company website)...He said something to the like of: "If you don't have to get to your stand with waders, a canoe, or on your knees, etc...it's not worth hunting" - I love it!
Adam: I'm up in Madison/Delaware counties, although I also hunt the firearms opener in Martin County, and occasionally make it over to Jefferson County for "late" early archery. I've got a lot of family who used to deer/turkey hunt Morgan-Monroe back in the 80's/90's.
HuntingBry: Thanks for the words. I suppose being a tactician and a potential action hero (inmy own mind) is one of the things that keeps hunting new every timeI go afield. I had some friends who used to get pretty creative hunting land they shouldn't have (mostly off-limits corporate/government acreage), but really going "ninja" in the scenario of mixed private lands is motivating and hopefully rewarding. I've taken deer off the ground with a bow, but I wish I had a little better vision because I think still-hunting could help in these tactics. Looking forward to hearing your stories through the season.
Thanks again for the welcome
>>>>---------------------->
KG: I found some info on the John Eberhardt DVDs and an excerpt from an article he wrote (it was actually linked from the Scent Lok company website)...He said something to the like of: "If you don't have to get to your stand with waders, a canoe, or on your knees, etc...it's not worth hunting" - I love it!
Adam: I'm up in Madison/Delaware counties, although I also hunt the firearms opener in Martin County, and occasionally make it over to Jefferson County for "late" early archery. I've got a lot of family who used to deer/turkey hunt Morgan-Monroe back in the 80's/90's.
HuntingBry: Thanks for the words. I suppose being a tactician and a potential action hero (inmy own mind) is one of the things that keeps hunting new every timeI go afield. I had some friends who used to get pretty creative hunting land they shouldn't have (mostly off-limits corporate/government acreage), but really going "ninja" in the scenario of mixed private lands is motivating and hopefully rewarding. I've taken deer off the ground with a bow, but I wish I had a little better vision because I think still-hunting could help in these tactics. Looking forward to hearing your stories through the season.
Thanks again for the welcome
>>>>---------------------->
