RE: What is most important---Skill, Luck, or Land??
 

Todd,

I am not stating this to brag but I have succesfully and consistantly killed good bucks that often don' t ever leave there beds during light, period!!!. Its not at all impossible, its just a different system than most are used to. Take a look at my signature quote, its there for a reason.

I do agree that having super private land can make things easy, but for most that is impossible, so all that is left is to reley on luck or work much harder. Thats why knowledge, dedication and work is the best bet to increase success for most bowhunters.

RE: What is most important---Skill, Luck, or Land??
 

I vote Land!

RE: What is most important---Skill, Luck, or Land??
 

Very interesting points from every body. I have a piece of private land in La Grange Tx that used to be a sweet spot for deer. That is before all the ranches around it High fenced their property. Thier are still deer that use my land as a travel corridor, but the pickings are slim. let me just say that hunting that 40 acres would be the ultimate test of skill over luck...

RE: What is most important---Skill, Luck, or Land??
 

I would rather be a good hunter in " fair" territory than a lucky hunter in " good" hunting spots. I' ve known and hunted with some " lucky" (unskilled) hunters, in excellent spots, who couldn' t find a deer until they heard me shoot and saw the dead animal in my truck. Skilled hunters, who know their spots,(beds, feed, trails, funnels, wind direction) are gonna take deer, sooner or later, nomatter how many are or aren' t on that property. A good woodsman will find the deer. I see it this way: Deer have to move, they have to eat, drink and bed. Knowing and learning where to hunt isn' t a crapshoot. If you can learn more every time you hunt, they you' re gaining the skills to eliminate luck. Luck runs out sooner or later.................. but you always got the skill.

RE: What is most important---Skill, Luck, or Land??
 

CBM SC , I see your point. Yes land and deer management do require skills. A lot of people who have good deer land have put a lot of hard work into making it what it is. But, my point is, " you can' t manage what you don' t own." I am very fortunate to have been born to a family with good land to manage and hunt. Many aren' t so lucky. Thats why I think you have to grade on a curve so to speak. If you only get to hunt public land and yet you still kill deer each year, then I find that far more impressive than someone who kills monster bucks on a secluded private whitetail haven. However despite how I rate the level of accomplishment involved there is no doubt that the guy hunting the haven is going to kill more and better bucks year in and year out. Thus my opinion that land makes the bigger difference. Like I said before I know young relatively inexperienced kids that kill big bucks every year simply because of " where" they get to hunt.

Rack Attack-- I' m not doubting your word but I would like to know the type of land you hunt. Stalk hunting with a bow is certainly possible in the right situation but my comment was directed to here in Alabama where I hunt. There are briar thickets here that are almost impenetrable and a big buck bedded in the middle of it is as safe as a babe in its mommas arms. Virtually impossible to approach him silently and even if by some miracle you could it would be equally miraculous if you had a clean shooting lane even at 20 yards. With a gun its a different story but with a bow very very difficult. Thats a nice buck under your signature line by the way. Here is one of mine from last season although it is a gun kill.

RE: What is most important---Skill, Luck, or Land??
 

I agree with many that land is very important!

I feel that the ability to learn and adapt is equally important.

I am lucky enough to hunt an area in the midwest every year with high deer density, and huge bucks with a big group of friends.

The guys who score on a regular basis at home, do the same thing in the midwest.

The guys who rarely ever connect on decent bucks at home....same deal in the midwest!

I guess I am saying that land is extremely important, and so is knowledge.

As far as luck goes.....I`ll make my own luck.

RE: What is most important---Skill, Luck, or Land??
 

I used tohunt private property as the only person who had permision to be there. It was pick and choose. Now I' m on public land, and my freezer is empty. I was lucky to be allowed to hunt such good land. my skills suffered in those 5 years as I got lazy.

RE: What is most important---Skill, Luck, or Land??
 

No, atlasman. I said it INCLUDES scouting land blah blah blah. Land does not dictate sucess, but plays a major part. Bowhunting skills require work and are probably just as important, but scouting land also requires work. And to do it well also requires some skill. So they kind of tie together.

RE: What is most important---Skill, Luck, or Land??
 

Lucky enough to have land to hunt on.
Lucky enough to aquire the skill to shoot well.
Lucky enough to get lucky!:)

RE: What is most important---Skill, Luck, or Land??
 

Lets put this into context. I know " do it yourselfers" that are good hunters. These guys hunt the same way here that they do when they are in Illinois. They spend 40-60 days in the woods here and 5-10 in the woods in Illinois. They kill good deer more often than not in Illinois but rarely if ever kill them around here. Same hunters same techniques different land. They scout the land themselves, place all of their own stands, and do everything else by themselves. If that is not " TRUE SUCCESS" then I don' t know what is. Skill is definetly a big factor but you can' t kill big deer where they don' t live. If you don' t have the gene pool or population no matter how hard you hunt you won' t be as successful as you would be on good land. So again I say location, location, location! By all means is takes a lot of skill, and a little luck never hurt, but even those " lucky" guys that out work everyone else will be more successful on prime hunting ground. HMMMM maybe that' s why the Pro' s (obviously skilled hunters) choose to hunt Prime Hunting Ground rather than the piss poor places that I have no choice but hunt.