If you're not seeing deer, what's your move?
08-17-2005, 01:06 PM
#12
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 801
RE: If you're not seeing deer, what's your move?
Jimmy, since you are describing NH and I also hunt the exact same type of woods you do, I'll weigh in.
I shot a beauty of an 8 pointer off a swamp edge in late November of my first year of serious deer hunting. The next 2 seasons I spent way to much time in that exact same spot. In my first 5 years of hunting NH I had a 4 point and that first year 8 point, and I had logged a lot of time in stand. I started hunting other states with higher deer densities and in these states, if I sat 3 sits (1 sit equaling a 1/2 day) w/out a deerI would move on. I didn't do this in NH though.. I'd sit sunrise to sunset. A few years back I took the same approach in NH. 3 sits with no deer I'd move on.. and you know what, I haven't not shot a deer each year yet. I see more deer now than ever, and while I do try productive stand sights from years past, I don't get "attached". I now believe moving in NH is even more important than in other areas. Year to year inbig woodsthe mast crop changes, new logging changes the woods, and what used to be perfect edge growth gets to high and the deer move on. Big woods hunting is a year to year thing. Also moving, doesn't always mean driving, sometimes just a few hundred yards makes ALL the difference.
I shot a beauty of an 8 pointer off a swamp edge in late November of my first year of serious deer hunting. The next 2 seasons I spent way to much time in that exact same spot. In my first 5 years of hunting NH I had a 4 point and that first year 8 point, and I had logged a lot of time in stand. I started hunting other states with higher deer densities and in these states, if I sat 3 sits (1 sit equaling a 1/2 day) w/out a deerI would move on. I didn't do this in NH though.. I'd sit sunrise to sunset. A few years back I took the same approach in NH. 3 sits with no deer I'd move on.. and you know what, I haven't not shot a deer each year yet. I see more deer now than ever, and while I do try productive stand sights from years past, I don't get "attached". I now believe moving in NH is even more important than in other areas. Year to year inbig woodsthe mast crop changes, new logging changes the woods, and what used to be perfect edge growth gets to high and the deer move on. Big woods hunting is a year to year thing. Also moving, doesn't always mean driving, sometimes just a few hundred yards makes ALL the difference.
08-17-2005, 02:18 PM
#13
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location:
Posts: 342
RE: If you're not seeing deer, what's your move?
If I had spent a day sitting in my blind (I don't use treestands) without seeing a deer, I would start checking bedding areas for fresh sign. Stillhunt and/or do some calling around the bedding areas until I see deer or pick up a good track. Find fresh sign and the tracks will lead to the deer.
It's usually the other way around for me though, I start out tracking until I get into an area where the deer are, then set up in my nearest blind or a blowdown if one of my blinds aren't handy. A lot depends on the conditions - on days with a good tracking snow I usually do very little sitting.
It's usually the other way around for me though, I start out tracking until I get into an area where the deer are, then set up in my nearest blind or a blowdown if one of my blinds aren't handy. A lot depends on the conditions - on days with a good tracking snow I usually do very little sitting.
