GMMAT

I checked the Realtree Game Forecast. Morning and evenings are supposed to be the best. I also checked the weather. Low of 42, Saturday morning (10 deg. cooler than the night before).......and just behind some showers late Friday. That spells perfect.

Saturday evening says some possible showeres, late.....which, again.....spells being out there ahead of this mini-front.

I guess it's morning and evening, again.....nap in the middle....lol. I MAY try and slip next door tomorrow morning, too. I'm a determined kind, huh????

Jeff

Germ

I hunt midday during the rut, if you are going to slip in deeper into the woods at 9:30AM most of the deer will be bedded down and you may spook them.

When I hunt bedding area's I go out EARLY, so if legal shooting times is 6:30AM I am in the tree at 4:30-5:00AM ready to go.

In less pressure area's you do not have to go out as early, but what I am trying to do is beat the big boy to the spot.

I do not hunt near food in the morning, I try to hunt as close to a bedding area as I can, but the trick is I have a way out with out getting busted. This is key, not to get busted, once the deer know you are there they go bye-bye. You want the doe's to be there and comfortable.

I only hunt these stand during the rut, I have three stands up I will not hunt until the end of October, I have other good morning stands, but they are funnels travel routes. I still get to those early, and have a way out and in undetected.

GMMAT

I've got a WEEEEEEE problem. My BEST place to hunt (i.e. where I see the most deer)....is right beside the house (not a problem, there). It's also an area that's a small sanctuary for the deer, there. They have NO reason to come into my area......except for the fact that there's no REAL food in the 174 acres of the park......and I feed them all year long (and put out a mineral lick, this year). They tend to use my area as a sanctuary......and a travel corridor (to a lesser extent). I see deer there a LOT, though.....so "for some reason"......it's a good place to hunt.

My son's been hunting in there maybe 4 times. he's been busted, twice. I've never been busted, there (crosses fingers). I've got photos of some dandy little bucks (for these parts).....but...besides the one I missed (8-10 points).....I've only seen the one (small 8-pointer).I want to hunt this little area SMART......but it's hard to NOT go there when I know there's deer in there. Plus.....I THINK I'm getting in and out of there fairly stealthly. Again....I'v enever been busted there.....inmost of last season....and so far this year. I can send you a little hand-drawn sketch of this area if you like.

No one is allowed to hunt the parks land. I know the people that have the adjacent acreage to mine (15 acres) feed the deer, too. I know they're going up there in the mronings and evenings (and night, I assume). EDIT........THESE PEOPLE DO NOT HUNT OR ALLOW HUNTING ON THEIRLAND. But....I have no way ofwatching what goes on up there.

Would I be better off staying out of there, some? I have another place to hunt.....but the food sources there are non-existent (except for natural foliage/mast crops). There are no farm crops.

What to do???????

Jeff

EDIT #2 - I NEVER go in there without showering in scent free soap and spraying down, either. I haven't been busted, there.....and I never want to be

Germ

SB I shot a 72 once in golf it was great, all I remember about that day was how little I thought about what I was doing. I took what the course gave me I did not try and force a shot.

Take what the woods gives you!! A wise man told me once.

You can over hunt a great spot, but I have never see one under hunted[8D]

Mantis Mayer

Holy crap you guys can really keep the pages rolling! Much like the horn we’ll be putting on the ground soon! Sorry I’m not on here more often, this house buying, working/two jobs crap is for the birds! It looks like we’ll be closing in a week or so. I always told myself I’d never buy a house this time of year but when the one you want comes along its chit or get off the pot right? I’ve managed to fandangle my schedule with vacation, swaps, personal days, and such so that as of now I have to work a mere 6 shifts at the FD during the whole PA/NY archery season. I’m doing surveying on the side and only work a couple days a week with that job. I have managed to do some scouting in PA on the new property. It’s beautiful, I’m very fortunate to hunt it and to be the only one on it during bow season. I found some sweet funnels for all dayers during the pre-rut/rut and a couple nice transitional stand locations for different winds. It’s a tricky piece to get in and out of due to limited access but I found a cow pasture that I can utilize for sneaking around a little if needed. I also found that the girlfriend doesn’t like stepping in moist cow chips. Even with the hundred dollar lacrosse rubber boots I bought her! Weird! While I’m on the subject of poop here’s some food for thought. Clean the cow poop off your boots if you hunt a location totally void of cows. Any foreign smell is no good.

“You can over hunt a great spot, but I have never seen one under hunted.”

Germ that’s an awesome quote! I love it! I award you 100 points. And we are all smarter now having heard it.

SBGobblers, I chuckled a little when twice you said you’ve never spooked deer on that piece you hunt. A wise man once told me for every deer you see spook, there are four you didn’t see spook. You are on the right track in asking yourself how to properly hunt that plot of woods. No matter how many times I’ve hunted a location, I’m always asking myself if I’m doing everything in my power to be undetected and if I could change something. Sometimes hunters will fall into a rut and hunt a piece of property the same way, every time they’re there. And in there mind, set in stone, the idea of how the deer move feed/bed in that aria is the way it is. It’s a big mistake. Another mistake is to think that the land you hunt doesn’t hold the deer and that the deer are on the neighbors’ property and will be arriving at such in such time. If you move though the property wrong, your idea will come true and give a false sense of having figured it all out. Meaning your impacting in how the deer really want to move. Ok I’m rambling lets get down to basics and K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid.) So, first and foremost you have to keep the wind in mind at all times obviously. We all know that. And then don’t over hunt/ over pressure the deer. Never go were the deer are, always were they’re going to be. And whenever I just can’t put my finger on just what’s going on with new woods, I hunt the fringes and work my way in as I learn. Well that’s all I think you guys can stand for now. I’m going to go hit a tent sale at a local hunting store catch you guys later! TICK TOCK TICK TOCK! Won’t be long now boys can you feel it!!??

Rob/PA Bowyer

MM, you don't stop in often, that's okay cause your extemely busy, but when you do WOW, a mouth full and all great advice. You and the rest of us will let our animals speak for themselves.

Rob/PA Bowyer

Just watched the weather, low in the 50's over night tomorrow night and low to mid 60's partly sunny all day Saturday. Should be a beautiful opener in PA, good luck fellow bowhunters.

mauser06

MM good to hear from you! good luck with everything...i HATE moving[:@]

rob...funny how weather is so diffrent and were not THAT far apart...

noaa.com says low of 40..high of 60. 40% chance of rain after 4pm

weather.com says same temp wise..but 40% chance of PM thunderstorms.

either way im hunting...its gunna be cold the first 3 or 4 hours for me. ill be on stand by 530 at the latest..well thats what im shootin for. just rather get in there and take my time and be quiet then be rushing around..and i wont be sleeping anyways hopefully a WHOPPER of a storm comes through in the evening...that way the deer are moving morning and all afternoon..im excited as can be...work 7-2 tomarrow..picking up the boots from the shop(good time to get them repaired huh?) and packing my gear...i cant wait...ive decided while im hunting that spot its buck only. the orchard needs thinned out of does so ill take them from there and save the township deer. they get pounded in rifle season. and that will up my odds of taking a buck there....hopefully one of the whoppers. i wont lie..first light and a basket rack 8 comes by he better HIDE. although i know theres bigger out there a basket 8 will beat my basket 6's....i got a good feeling...i gota get the lunch ready tomarrow too. ill have enough food for a cookout and itll be gone by noon[:-]lol...

Mantis Mayer

Rob, you know how you hunt and hunt and wonder if you're doing anything right? And than just when your hopes are up it all comes together and in a second it's all over! You just arrowed a beautiful buck and you're shaking like crazy. It's a huge boost in your ego and you're so relieved that you were actually right. Knowing what I know about you is that same (well not quite, haha) feelingwhen you agree with my field experience. Guys that's another little bitty for you tochew on. I can lookback in my field log book andread where my heart starts to sink as the days go on.Youcan feel mybodyake. You can read into my questioning as to thewonder of what I'm doing wrong. It's a road map of how I move from location to location though observationandgut feeling. Andit's funny to me now to see how I was sometimes at such a low, so much that most hunters would've quit (I've seen it),and then the next entery is ofa great hunt followed by a photo session. It doesn't need pretty words to end this. Just like my hunting log, I keep it simple. Like I wrote one time ina tree; "You hunt! It's hard sometimes. Younever knowwhen it happens. But it won't happen if you're not out there. And if you hunt hard, hard enough,you will connect.Aim for yourgoal.Don't settlefor nothing less. Hunt for you. Take home something every night. You'll walk away with a lifetime ofsuccess."

Mantis Mayer

Jeff, guess this means your buck doesn't count! Got any buck tags left?