Can heavily[/b] pressured[/b] mature bucks be killed outside the rut on a regular basis? (Legally)
They can be killed outside of the route but hunters who know how to untilize exit routes and use othere hunters to their advantage but I wouldn't say they can be killed on a regular basis.
Would you rather hunt a non-funnel area that is TORE up with scrapes and rubs or a more funnel-like area that has little overall deer sign?
During the pre-rut and rut, I would rather hunt a funnel with little sign than a different area that is tore up with sign. Outside of the rut I would rather hunt the sign.
How long without success do you go before making changes to your location and or tactics? Meaning, if you are in an area where you think you should be seeing and/or killing more of your intended target animals than you are; how long do you keep sticking with your approach before getting more aggressive or trying other tactics.
3 or 4 sits (sit meaning a morning hunt or an afternoon hunt)on a stand depending on my confidence level in the area. After, that I feel like reagrdless of how good the spot it, I need to let it rest anyway.
Every time you set foot in the woods to hunt, are you putting yourself in a situation where you feel you have the greatest chance at killing a deer?
No, I should be but sometimes circumstanes themselves prevent that from occuring. I try to put myself in the best situation to kill a deer, that I possibly can, given the circumstanes. However, hind-sight has shown me many times that failed to accomplish my goal.
How much effort do you put into hunting “lesser” properties over the course of a season?
TOO MUCH! But, most of the properties that I have access to, are "lesser properties".
o you think deer (and other game animals where applicable) should be managed solely for hunters & their enjoyment, or should it be a “resource first” approach, where a balance between habitat/herd and other influences are all considered?
On a state level, I think you have to take everything into consideration. On your own property, you should manage for wildlife as you see fit.
we really need to raise our efforts to recruit more hunters, when land access is declining at a faster rate than hunter numbers, and EVERYONE complains of hunting lands being too crowded? Isn’t that backwards? More hunters fighting over less land can’t possibly be something good to look forward to.
I think so, as long as the anti-hunting lobby is there, we have to continue to recruit hunters b/c the stats say we are losing hunters and there is strength in numbers. If we don't recruit now, it may not be here for our kids or for their kids.
2. Do Bucks prefer to travel ridge tops, ridge edges, or bottomland during the pre-rut/rut?
Ridge edges seem to be the most prevalent in the area that I hunt.
What is themost common mistake (in your opinion) that bowhunters make that cause them to be busted by does or bucks?
Probably, moving too much or not hunting high enough causes us to get busted by the deer we see. The ones that bust us that we never see or hear is because they smelled us. The could be from a lack of scent control, or poor stand positioning or it could just be an unlucky wind shift.
4. Outside of the pre-rut/rut, have you seen more action in the morning or evenings.
Evenings.
5. In the pre-rut/rut, do you see more action in the mornings or evenings?
Mornings
What is "your" reasoning behind "staying out of rut stands" until the rut?
I don't want deer to pattern me, and stop using and area that gives me a tactical advantage due to terrain or some other feature.
When entereing or leaving your stand, do you "ever" use a light of any kind? Why do you feel the need?
Yes. Because I can't see in the dark. If there is enough light out, I won't use one. But, when it's pitch black and you are in thick ones, particularly with a climber on your back, I think you make far more of a disturbance by not turning your light on than you do by turning it on. I don't know if it helps or not but I use a red light when nec.
9. If walking thru a noisy, dry, leaf covered forest floor is your only entrance/exit route, do you go in before daylight and leave after dark? Or do you wait till first light to enter, and leave after dark?
It depends on the moon phase and when I have been seeing deer, but typically I just go in early and stay all day.
10 Do you really believe getting sweated up going into your stand set and then spraying/wiping down with scent killer helps? Explain your experience.
I don't know for sure because we can't see scent but my opionion is that it surely can't hurt if it helps reduce and or eliminate some of the odor created by sweating.