Order of Strategies?
 

Well, I have read so many "should be" off-season topics here lately, I thought I would actually ask a "bowhunting" question. LOL

What is your order of strategies for 1. Early Season 2. Pre Rut 3. Rut 4.Post Rut/Late Season ?

Things like stand placement, how close to bedding area, how high in the tree, change of stand location, ect. in order of the above topics.

Just thought this could turn into an informative post if everyone chimes in. Who knows, we may even learn something new from it.

Thanks, LT

RE: Order of Strategies?
 

Guess no one here actually hunts. LOL Come on guys what's your secrets?

LT

RE: Order of Strategies?
 

For the early season I generally look for a travel route between food sources and water sources. Most of the deer I've shot have come from a setup similar to this, and this is strategy I will carry through the majority of the season as a fall back. For the pre-rut, I'll generally concentrate on travel routes again, but this time between bedding areas and feeding areas like acorns, certain crop fields, etc. This is something else that has almost always worked for me. I usually hunt fairly small properties and this seems to be a good way to at least pattern some deer, as the bedding routes and food plot areas will always be used.

The rut post rut and late season I haven't generally been able to hunt too much, I generally just too busy with Hockey, school, officiating to get a free weekend to go out with the bow. Gun season is a different story though.

I really enjoy hunting from the ground. That is just the way I was introduced to hunting and its still one of my favorite ways to hunt. I'm just now starting to get into tree stands. I shot my first deer from a stand this year in fact. I don't hunt too high off the ground - had a fall once my first year from a tree.

RE: Order of Strategies?
 

I'm a huge believer in low-impact hunting... I start on the fringes, and move inwards as the season progresses. This also follows the natural progression of deer movement in my area, as the first few weeks they're still in their summer feeding patterns, but it doesn't take long for them to wait until after dark to start hitting the field edges.

As far as stand height goes, I'm normally 20-23 feet up. I will vary it though, depending upon available cover. I shot my largest buck to date (162 1/8) from 11 feet high because I had a huge mass of tangled vines behind me at that height.