ORIGINAL: Vabowman
As a dog hunter/bowhunter I can say that feel more in control when bowhunting, because I know deer behavior in their natural state. I have killed over 50 deer with dogs, so it's not like Im a rookie at it, dog hunting is pure luck for the most part. I know lots of fellows that have killed a big buck after being dropped from the truck within 10 minutes of the hunt on a peice of land they have never been on. My brother is a perfect example last yr. first trip to his new club on the stand for the first time and shot a wall hanger the first 20 minutes on stand. It was the first time he has hunted in 8 yrs!!!He got to the club at lunch time and got on the stand after lunch and they dropped the dogs and pow.It happens a lot. Now, how many times does a guy get that lucky in the bow woods?? You gotta know deer if you want to kill big bucks with a bow. I have killed some really big deer with dogs, and i can tell you for the most part it was pot luck. the deer I have killed still hunting or bowhunting, I had to know and understand big bucks....I know that big bucks will run certain ways when chase and will lay down with does and let the dogs get on them and all that stuff, but come guys, you know how many big deer are killed by using dogs and who kills....they couldn't find a buck rub on deer farm in Texas if they had too....Im just saying.
VA I didn't see your post at first but all I will add is this. First congratulations to your brother I'm sure he washappy about that hunt. And whileit can get frustrating seeing deer killed by others who may not put in quite the effortthat kind of luck is definitelynot limited to just dog hunting. Bow, blackpowder, rifle hunters get lucky every season and bag monsters they had never seen or knew were there. What's the difference? I hope to be on the "lucky" side this season at some point. I too have killed a truckload or two of deer dog hunting and admit some of them were outright luck, but many more were not. They were killed by knowing the woods, the travel patterns of the deer, bedding areas, escape routes and many other details that can all effect a chase/hunt. But againthere is a big difference between big club stand hunting dogs and small groups dropping dogs and cutting to the chase, I prefer the second choice and when you are on foot in a bigblock of woods trying to predict a deers path the wrong guess puts you out of the hunt faster than a rabbit gets humped. I'm not saying it's rocket science but strategy comes into play.