RE: how has your hunting changed???
A lot has changed, but a lot has merely “evolved”.
Old school scouting
Ride around all summer long looking for deer in the fields before dark. Walk around once or twice a week as the season approached watching fields that you couldn’t see from the road. Maybe take a cruise or 2 thru the woods checking the mast crop.
2 weeks before the season take an in-depth scouting mission looking for rubs/scrapes near places I intended to hunt.
Today’s scouting
Use turkey season to see/confirm where all of last seasons rub lines were. Note climbable trees.
Ride around a few times in august/September. Check crops, spotlight for “shooters” inventory
Stay out of woods completely.
Continue scouting as season progresses. Use bad weather rainy windy days to scout intrusive areas.
Old school hunting
Wash outer layer clothes in baking soda & hang out to dry. Wear rubber boots. Pay no other attention to scent, wear hunting clothes all season without washing.
Hunt 95% of the time from 1-2 trees. Hunt every day after school/work and Saturdays.
Shoot any buck that gives me a shot. Max range 20 yds. Had a 10 yd & a 20 yd pin
Shoot ay doe that I have a tag for
Any deer was a target from any stand, hunted “best” location all season.
Stand locations picked by tradition, current sign, heavy deer trails & mast (cherries & oaks)
Wind was only something that made my tree sway.
Today’s hunting
Huge scent precautions, stopping short of carbon clothes, but utilizing silver lined, & sprays etc.
Hunt generally no more than 3-4 times from one tree over the course of a season.
Hunt Saturdays, (&Sundays in Ohio), & try to make it out one maybe 2 days after work (job restricts that)
Stand locations chosen by tradition, terrain, current sign, wind direction & acorn production
Does targeted early season, and generally on the outskirts
Shoot only bucks of a certain size/age
Some stands “saved” until the time is right.
Wind direction duly noted