I was thinking about this - this morning in the shower:
The way many hunters "learn" hunting techniques - in this day and ages - is from hunting videos, TV shows, articles and seminars, and sometimes in talk forums. And the people doing the writing or speaking - are often considered "experts" - because they have killed one or more fairly good sized bucks - and received some "notoriety" for it as a result of their big buck kills.
But, many of these people hunt in conditions and/or places - that are not accessible to the average hunter, or hunt areas known to have several big bucks on them (places that my or may not charge the "average Joe" hunter.
IF (big if) they hunt under those conditions, does that make them "experts" on how, when, where and why to "hunt" the areas, and the deer, under the conditions - that average Joe's hunt???
Do they really have the experience to suggest productive "how-to" deer hunting techniques, tactics and tips???
Personally knowing many of the "been around for a while" TV personalities, writers, speakers and video personalities - I can definitively say that some of them can offer suggestions that will help the average Joe hunter, and some of them are not offering good suggestions for the average Joe hunter, who often hunts on "limited size private land" or public land - who does not have access or the money to hunt the areas many "deer personalities" hunt.
Hopefully I, because, I have hunted several years on public land, because I have been an outfitter and guided other hunters for several years, and because I have researched deer for 10 years - on areas that would be available to the average Joe hunter, can provide some information that will help you understand deer biology and behavior better, so you understand why deer move where and when they are most active, and provide you with some tactics, techniques and tips that will allow you to become more productive hunters …
This is what I try to do for you guys on the talk forums, and what I try to do in my books, articles and seminars. I want to try and help you become more productive hunters…
With that in mind - I need to ask you some questions:
1. When you hunt, do you go out to simply locate a good place to hunt any deer, to hunt bucks, or to hunt bucks with large racks?
2. When you hunt, do you go out to hunt a "particular" buck you may have seen during your scouting sessions.
3. Do you scout, and what do you look for when you scout?
God bless,
T.R.
I think he raises some valid points.