Goose 11

I like to read hunting books and watch hunting videos during the summer. It keeps me close to my passionand on top of the newest innovations in the hunting industry.After turkey season, Istart putting out minerals, looking for shed antlersand locating new stand locations.Other than these short times in the woods I am left to live vicariously through the hunts of others. I've just finished reading a great book about bowhunting whitetails. I had enjoyed reading articles by the authors in Deer & Deer Hunting magazine, and because of their great articles I decided to buy the book.

The bookis titled: "Bowhunting Pressured Whitetails" by John and Chris Eberhart. In the book they cover the usual topics found in deer hunting books, but from a very different perspective. As the title denotes,John and Chris hunt "Pressured" whitetails in Michigan. My first blog indicates thatI believe the deer herdin South Alabama is among the most pressured in the country. And this book really spoke to me as a bowhunter. They have experienced all the same frustrations that I have. They too recognize that deer in places like Iowa, Kansas, and Illinois are just easier tokill than deer that experience much more pressure from hunters. As the authors point out, most videosand TV shows are filmed in locations that receive little if any hunting pressure. As I watch some videos, the hunter is talking and moving all around and the deer never even notices him. That situation is just not reality for most of us regular hunters. Inthe woods I hunt, if you scratch your nose 20 feet up a pineyou can be picked off by amature buck 100 yards away.

I encourage you to check out John& Chris Eberhart's book, "Bowhunting Pressured Whitetails" Their web-site is:http://deer-john.net/

MOTOWNHONKEY

HuH? And I thoughtI was getting pretty good at this game. Turns out I should never have struggeled at all. Dang it!

Vabowman

Good post, but not everywhere in those states is like you see on TV brother. Granted they may not get as much pressure, but they are not that easy to kill. The less pressure does help, but it doesn't take away their senses. On the other hand, here in the south and in Va particularly, the deer dogging can reek havoc on the deer herd. Running dogs here has gotten to be a hot issue. I do it, but I put little into it, I finally have enough land now that I can bowhunt all year where dogs won't get on it. It's fun to hear them run, but I don't really care if it gets outlawed. Anyway, that puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the deer b/c these dog guys are running their dogs all year, even in the early spring and summer even though it's illegal, they continue to do it. Deer around here are always on alert because of it.

lifesadrag

[quote]ORIGINAL: MOTOWNHONKEY

HuH? And I thoughtI was getting pretty good at this game. Turns out I should never have struggeled at all. Dang it!
[/quote

That just turned me off of that book!

peakrut

I hear its a great book and someone is suppose to be letting me borrow itright DUKEMICHAELS.

2 Lunger

How can they say deer are not pressured in places like the midwest? Illinois has one of the biggest populations of bowhunters.

nodog

Detail one of the more unusual tactics. If it isn't one I've heard about the book maybe worth the read.[8D]

ropadop

I also enjoyed this book. John E. does go over the top sometimes in his recommendations. Read it and you will see. My experience is that the big difference between IL and PA is the control of the hunters. My family has 120 acres in PA that is fully posted, but guys keep coming on every year. I have called the game commission and they won't enforce trespassing and law enforcement is not interested. In IL, most people respect the borders where I have hunted. Obviously, public land hunting in IL is probably more like PA. But the limited firearms seasons in IL combined with controlled hunting yields many more bucks in the 3.5+ age class. The hunting is not easy in IL, but I always see more deer and bigger bucks on the private farms that I have hunted.

Goose 11

Quote:

They too recognize that deer in places like Iowa, Kansas, and Illinois are just easier tokill than deer that experience much more pressure from hunters.

I apologize that this statement caused some offense, I meant it in a general way and not as an insult to the hard work you have done to harvest mature bucks. I am sure you have areas that receive a lot of pressure in any state.

Quote:

In the book they cover the usual topics found in deer hunting books, but from a very different perspective.

There's not many "new" tactics, just twists on the tactics that most of us have already seen in other books or videos. Like hunting higher in the tree, or using a tree saddle. Hunting the edges, scrapes, and staging areas. Same stuff -but all of it with the premise of other hunters causing pressure that impacts the deer herd.

Quote:

I believe the deer herdin South Alabama is among the most pressured in the country. And this book really spoke to me as a bowhunter. They have experienced all the same frustrations that I have.

This is just my opinion, nothing more. Maybe someday I'll get to come to the Mid-West and hunt those big bucks! Then I'll see what it's like for myself! I've been to Texas, and the deer I hunted there werecertainly easier to locate and harvest. But that's not to say that in other areas of Texas the deer may be harder to get at. Just my experience.

Anyway, good luck to all.

Trae