davidmil

But it's more true than not. Where do the big deer come from year after year. Where are all the "Dream Teams" from. Exactly, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, Wi. Size is a relative thing. If a guy hunting public land in NY tries to judge his accomplishments by others, he's a failure. It's all relative. I hope you don't have an idea that because you shoot bigger deer than someone else you're a better hunter. I hope that people don't think because they shoot big deer in Iowa or Illinois they're better hunters than a guy from Maine. The test won't ever happen, but if it did, there would be a lot of humbled people in the woods. The biggest deer I've heard of in these parts won't make a book, but he was shot a week ago and field dressed 286. It was the guys first deer. He has to be the best hunter.[8D]

bloodcrick

Im in my 30 th year this season. Im in total awe and have more respect for the mighty whitetail than ever before. Id like to tag a big one every year but it aint going to happen, sometimes i win and sometimes they do. At age 43 im working harder at it than ever before, and im seeing the results of hard work. I have only downed a Doe this season but have passed more bucks than ever before and have seen more Big bucks this season than ever before.

Vabowman

bloodcrick tell me your secret!!

GMMAT

Honest question....

If it's not about new lands (or a particular animal)....what are you learning after 20+ (fill in the blank re: # years) years hunting the same species of animal?

gri22ly

I've been bowhunting for 13 years, Started in "88",I took 8 years off from "94" to "01". I've killed 8 P&Y, 7 from public land. The longer I hunt the moreclear things become, I would have never dreamed it was so simple when I started back in "88". I put way to much thought into it and made things very complex back then.

130woodman

Each deer acts differant. I like to see what works on each deer. Like calls, some bucks come into grunts and others don't even react to it. Doe bleats work when and where.Every year I gain a little tid bit of information that may help me down the road.

Vabowman

gri22ly, that is very interesting... I felt like this year I made it more complex than ever before...granted I saw lots of bucks and it ain't over yet, but I put entirely too much thought in to what I was doing... I learned this year to never again neglect my gut feeling or my hunter instincts...i have been doing this long enough in my area to know that what a guy writes about doing in ILL or IA or ME does not usually apply to SE Va ....there are so many variables where I hunt that a simple formula doesn't seem to fit.. I learned this year that if the wind is right, and I mean perfect, then my chances are so much better...and I will take this into next season and use my common sense about wind and quit ignoring it and pay more attention to it..

bloodcrick

Not sure if it is a secret but i have put more time in the stand this season (late mornings) than normal. I had alot of morning till 1:00 days and was seeing bucks up until then.I used to quit at 10:00.I used to just hunt edges of thickets where deer would travel and use the cover but i switched it up this season and started hunting more between thickets and started looking at funnels differently. I found that bucks were bouncing from thicket to thicket. If i was seeing Bucks from a distance in a general area i started asking myself why they were doing what they were doing and instead of staying where i was at, i started moving in and investigating and setting up. I moved frquently this season and did not over hunt a stand. I took my scent control to a new level (something i was a little lax on before) I found that i was hunting areas that guys on our lease were to lazy to make the walk to (to, far, to hard to walk through, cant find it in the dark and so on) I started looking at topos for the first time and talked to guys that flat know there stuff about them (from here) I started walking in the hard way if needed to keep from busting deer. One of the bigggest things that has been helping me is to know ALL of my area that i possably can during shed hunts. I find that parts of my woods that i used to think were hugh, and they are, seem smaller when i know every inch of it. And that helps me put the pieces together. I look for the sign when im shed hunting and new funnels, take note of it and get in there during the season. I have learned some of my spots are better off left alone until the rut kicks in so i stay out until then. That one was learned from trial and error over several years. I guess in a nut shell im applying myself differently this season, admitingly i was a little lazy in the past.

gri22ly

Feel your self withFACTS about (YOUR) deer, then feel in the blanks with good sound LOGIC. Gut feeling are spurred by logic,if you are a sound thinker,GO WITH IT. A simpleformula will fit.....But it has to be your formula.

Vabowman

that works for me bloodcrick...good stuff right there!!