What you'll do different this season
 

Okay now that the archery deer season is fast approaching,what will you "NOT" do this season that you did last season,maybe something that cost you that biggun or any deer.One that I can mention right now is this......I won't use one of those styrofoam camo padded seats.One of my loc-on stands is so uncomfotable I had to take it the pad along.Well after sitting on it a while it bothered me and I hung it in the tree.Before the hunt I laid a scent trail down this road and suddenly I saw this really nice ten point following the trail.Before I left the trail, I walked past my stand a few yard then doubled back,and left the scent pad, then poured some extra scent on the pad.This buck stopped right there for the broadside shot that I wanted, then all of a sudden he cought some movement up in my tree.It was that danged cushion blowing in the breeze.Well you know what happened then.[:@]How about you all?

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

Lots of things, but to mention a few. Last season I really started paying attention to the wind. Miraculously, I saw more deer, imagine that if you would. I am going to continue my study of air currents in hilly terrain, for one.
Second, I have spent this off season learning maps. I am going to take that knowledge to the deer woods, and broaden my horizons in that aspect.
Third, I will be in stand during the mid day "lull". I had some errands to run one day early November last season, got down about 10:00, back in stand at noon, wasn't there 15 seconds and a 140 class 10 pt passed directly under my stand, with my bow still on the ground. I will not be leaving during mid day this year.

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

I can't think of much.............maybe get into the habit of drawing my bow sooner. I never want to get stuck at full draw but sometimes I think I wait too long. I will also try to focus more on the spots I feel I have the BEST chance for success. Around here I have a few spots that are sentimental favs but truthfully if I even see a deer there I am having a great day.

In contrast to the above post I will not hunt during the mid day unless it is peak rut. I can count on one hand the number of deer I have killed mid day in the last 17 years.........too many dawn to dark days early in the season and I start to feel burned out.

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

I'm going to hunt with a bow for the first time, which is a BIG change (I've always hunted deer with a ML exclusively). I also plan on using a ground blind rather than employing only natural cover, or actually a combination of the two. Since this will be my first time hunting during the rut I'm also going to definately put more emphasis on using scents and calls than before. Hunting the early and late ML seasons I've never had too much luck with either. I never seem to see any more or less deer with scents and calls than without, and by late ML season the rut is over and the bucks are paranoid as a heck from the shotgun seasons. It's definately going to be a different experience, but one I very much look forward to.

Mike

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

had my hand climber portion of my stand up too high. had a doe make a beeline right for me and I couldn't shoot at first because she was coming right at me. she then hung around me at 10 yds till dark. I couldn't get the bow drawn with the angle that she was at. only a doe, but it would have been a record number 4 for the season

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

1) Learn to be more quiet.
2) Go farther and deeper into the woods.
3) Try to get away from the Saturday crowds on public land.

(Possible...) Look into a trip this season in another state (one that allows hunting on Sunday!). Currently am looking at either Kentucky or Ohio and their state forests and out-of-state fees, for curiosity sake.

Butch A.

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

I had a GREAT year last year but the one thing I have and will do this year that I did not have in the past?

THERMACELL!:D

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

I'll be putting a carbonarrow thru the lungs of the deer I shoot instead of an aluminum one.

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

What will I not do? I'll stay home when there's an east wind! Of course I say that every year , and every year I end up going out (just in case) and end up seeing squat.:D

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

I'm sure there are more things that I won't be doing than what I mention, but lets see what I can come up with.
1. I won't hunt stands when the wind direction is wrong.
2. I won't take my release and/or arrow off until its too dark to shoot (not five min. before like I did and missed an oppertunity at a doe because of it.)
3.I won't fall asleep during the boring times. (at least I'll try not to)
4.I won't leave my stand in mid-day during the rut, or during rifle season.
5.I won't be shooting a buck with less than 4 points. (my goal for this year, last years was a 3 pt.)
6.I won't turn around to see what every little noise is, I'll wait until it comes infront of me.
7. I won't move unless the deer's head is obscured by trees.

Well thats all I can think of right now.

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

I wont hunt WV this year. Only Texas since I'd rather not drive/fly 1600 miles. [8D]

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

I am going to get my son, age 10, a portable "pop-up" ground blind. I really love to take him hunting but after an hour or so, he does get restless. Although he begs and begs to go, he simply can not last as long as necessary to get the job done.

Usually I will put up some camo cloth and make a quick "field blind" then I get in my climber stand, but it does not give him enough cover to move about and fidget. Noise has never been a problem, just movement. This was, he can pack his gameboy or what ever and be content while I continue to hunt.

Lastly, I picked up another Thermo Cell to counter the mosquitoes (sp). Last year, they made hunting all but impossible.

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

Last year I over hunted my favorite stand but not this year. I will save that stand for the rut only. It seem to better later in the year. I'm setting up a doe only stand .

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

I am going to make a better effort to stay in the stand all day and I am also going to do a better job of which stand I am going to hunt out of.

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

IM not gonna move around so much and pay more attention to the wind. IF im gonna shoot a doe IM GOnna make sure it ant no button.....

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

I will not pass up a doe at first light, thinking " it's early I'll see something else". i did this opening day and the day after and never had anything else close enough to shoot.

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

Now this is a great question. Last year, I drew back on what would have been my best buck with a bow. I calmly aimed in the "armpit area" . The thick-bodied brute was standing clueless at 18 yards, broadside. I couldn't believe my good fortune. Just a few days earlier I had killed my best buck, a 163" 12 pt with a muzzleloader , and less than a week later I was about to release on my 2nd best buck ever and best bowbuck. I instantly recognized the monster from 2 stealth cam pictures I had of him. I could already taste backstrap and see my 3rd P&Y buck on the wall asI let her fly.
It was then I almost suffered from a massive coronary. The string hit my coat and my arrow flew crazy.I remember seeing the fletch end dip and the whole arrow planed upward . The broadhead sailed through the buck just grazing the TOP of his spine. I was sick. As a matter of fact , I was still sick a month later, worried to death that the buck might be dead somewhere. I felt horrible.until on the last day of our gun season I got a phone call from my brother. He had been hunting that morning when the big boy come chasing a doe through. You don't need string clearance with a 30-06 and my brother was able to get him, on another property about a mile away from where I shot him. He is a basic 5x5 with several kickers, and grosses 153". I was so elated that he had survived my shot and even happier that my brother got him. He had lost a lot of weight but was definitely on the comeback trail. As a gift to my brother I gave him copies of the pictures I had plus I gave him my arrow, which still had the bucks blood on it from a month earlier. In return, he had the portion of the bucks hide where the bow wound was tanned and he gave it to me. Cool story , huh?

Anyhow, ever since that day, all I could think is how I should have had an armguard on , or something to hold my bulky coat sleeve down. You can bet your buttons I will be doing something different this year!!!

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

Maybe hunt a little more in the early season while its warm. I really don't like hunting when its very warm like it is on some days in early October, but I saw a buck Thursday evening that I am going to try to pattern early. The skeeters and full leafed trees will just have to stay out of my way.;)

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

I will be more patient and wait. Last year I could have shot a slightly larger buck had I waited a mere two or three minutes. ;)

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

I will remember to take my quiver with arrows before I walk a mile to my treestand.[:-]

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

I will be actually hunting less this year. Not because I dont want to but because I want to save my best stands for the rut. I plan on staying in the stand until at least 1:00 during the rut. This past year I saw more buck after 10:00am then I did early in the am. Then after getting down it will only be to go to another stand location and get right back up. I plan on hunting in almost any weather during the best days of the rut. I am taking the last two weeks of the season off on vacation instead of 1 week. And try not to feel that I must connect to say I had a good season. I set my goals high in archery season but any season that I can get out huntingalot and end the season safe is a good year.

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

well this year i'm gonna
hunt more with my bow,
try huntingearly rub lines in september,
be patientbut not stupid when it comes to waiting for a betterdeer,
ummmmmm ..... i'll probably think of some more.

RE: What you'll do different this season
 

Well, I don't really hunt whitetails, but I do hunt elk. This year I will be a lot more agressive in chasing the elk into the worst drainages, highest peaks, and nastiest crap holes on the mountain. Once I zero in on the bull I want, I'm going after him with full force.