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.