How should I hunt, what would you do?
 

I live in Kansas. I am lucky enough to be able to hunt all of the Kansas deer season, start to finish pretty much. I can hunt in Setember with a muzzle loader, then pick up a high power rifle for 2 days because I am disabled. I feel these 2 seasons are my best bet at a big mature buck for several reasons. Down side, that only gives me about 2 weeks to hunt. Plus side, deer are easy to pattern, see lots of them and can get close. Not many hunt this time of year.

Then I can hunt in December with a high power rifle for 10 days. Rifle season in my area is hard. Especially hard to bag a good buck in. Orange coats every where you go. After the first day or two deer just seem to simply disappear. I know a few places they go, but am not crazy about rifle hunting. Good side, a muzzle loader tag is also good for the regular rifle season. Bow hunting is way more exciteing for me. I get to see alot of wildlife and spend more time int he woods doing what I like to do.

This leaves the archery season. 2 1/2 months long. I have bow hunted for 10 years and never killed a buck. Let the small ones walk and just never got the deal closed on a nice buck. Numerous close calls. I gave up bow hunting 4 years ago due to health. It was more work than fun so I switched to muzzle loader and rifle hunting.

I want to be able to bag big bucks, which is getting harder and harder to do in my area. There simply isn't the number of them there used to be. I know several die hard "trophy" hunters with have killed a lot of big deer with a bow. They all say the same thing. Although I am legally disabled, my "disablity" is no longer a issue and I can get back into bow hunting if I choose to do so. I recieved a double lung transplant on Oct 17th and I'm doing fantastic. Looking forward to lots of things. Just not sure how I want to deer hunt. So I would like to get some opinions on what you would do?

RE: How should I hunt, what would you do?
 

My usual disclaimer: I'm 18 and have only been hunting a few years. HOWEVER, this tip comes from a hunting article (possibly on this site) and a long-time hunter.

I think the statistic was something like 80% of hunters hunt within a quarter mile of a road or logging road of some kind. If you're seeing lots of orange, try to get back off the road into the thick stuff. After the bullets start to fly on opening day, deer will seek out the thickest area they can find for cover. I think the deer feel safer when they're boxed in with pines and brush. Too many hunters set up in the most open place they can find because they can see further. I don't know what kind of area you hunt, but try to get away from the road and into the thick areas in order to find that big "smart" old buck!

Remember if you're by yourself far from any roads, use EXTRA caution. If you get lost, slip and break an ankle, or worse, you're pretty screwed.


Best of luck!!

PS: This tip is assuming that your "disability" would NOT be an issue on a longer trip into the woods.

RE: How should I hunt, what would you do?
 

Stick with the guns since they seem to produce the most reliably for you .