Are You Willing to LEARN
03-05-2009, 08:44 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location:
Posts: 214
Are You Willing to LEARN
Here is an intriguing post by T.R. Michels:
I think he raises some valid points.
I scout a lot, looking for trails, rubs and scrapes, and try tohuntparticular bucks I've seen during my scouting sessions.
I was thinking about this - this morning in the shower:
The way many hunters "learn" hunting techniques - in this day and ages - is from hunting videos, TV shows, articles and seminars, and sometimes in talk forums. And the people doing the writing or speaking - are often considered "experts" - because they have killed one or more fairly good sized bucks - and received some "notoriety" for it as a result of their big buck kills.
But, many of these people hunt in conditions and/or places - that are not accessible to the average hunter, or hunt areas known to have several big bucks on them (places that my or may not charge the "average Joe" hunter.
IF (big if) they hunt under those conditions, does that make them "experts" on how, when, where and why to "hunt" the areas, and the deer, under the conditions - that average Joe's hunt???
Do they really have the experience to suggest productive "how-to" deer hunting techniques, tactics and tips???
Personally knowing many of the "been around for a while" TV personalities, writers, speakers and video personalities - I can definitively say that some of them can offer suggestions that will help the average Joe hunter, and some of them are not offering good suggestions for the average Joe hunter, who often hunts on "limited size private land" or public land - who does not have access or the money to hunt the areas many "deer personalities" hunt.
Hopefully I, because, I have hunted several years on public land, because I have been an outfitter and guided other hunters for several years, and because I have researched deer for 10 years - on areas that would be available to the average Joe hunter, can provide some information that will help you understand deer biology and behavior better, so you understand why deer move where and when they are most active, and provide you with some tactics, techniques and tips that will allow you to become more productive hunters …
This is what I try to do for you guys on the talk forums, and what I try to do in my books, articles and seminars. I want to try and help you become more productive hunters…
With that in mind - I need to ask you some questions:
1. When you hunt, do you go out to simply locate a good place to hunt any deer, to hunt bucks, or to hunt bucks with large racks?
2. When you hunt, do you go out to hunt a "particular" buck you may have seen during your scouting sessions.
3. Do you scout, and what do you look for when you scout?
God bless,
T.R.
The way many hunters "learn" hunting techniques - in this day and ages - is from hunting videos, TV shows, articles and seminars, and sometimes in talk forums. And the people doing the writing or speaking - are often considered "experts" - because they have killed one or more fairly good sized bucks - and received some "notoriety" for it as a result of their big buck kills.
But, many of these people hunt in conditions and/or places - that are not accessible to the average hunter, or hunt areas known to have several big bucks on them (places that my or may not charge the "average Joe" hunter.
IF (big if) they hunt under those conditions, does that make them "experts" on how, when, where and why to "hunt" the areas, and the deer, under the conditions - that average Joe's hunt???
Do they really have the experience to suggest productive "how-to" deer hunting techniques, tactics and tips???
Personally knowing many of the "been around for a while" TV personalities, writers, speakers and video personalities - I can definitively say that some of them can offer suggestions that will help the average Joe hunter, and some of them are not offering good suggestions for the average Joe hunter, who often hunts on "limited size private land" or public land - who does not have access or the money to hunt the areas many "deer personalities" hunt.
Hopefully I, because, I have hunted several years on public land, because I have been an outfitter and guided other hunters for several years, and because I have researched deer for 10 years - on areas that would be available to the average Joe hunter, can provide some information that will help you understand deer biology and behavior better, so you understand why deer move where and when they are most active, and provide you with some tactics, techniques and tips that will allow you to become more productive hunters …
This is what I try to do for you guys on the talk forums, and what I try to do in my books, articles and seminars. I want to try and help you become more productive hunters…
With that in mind - I need to ask you some questions:
1. When you hunt, do you go out to simply locate a good place to hunt any deer, to hunt bucks, or to hunt bucks with large racks?
2. When you hunt, do you go out to hunt a "particular" buck you may have seen during your scouting sessions.
3. Do you scout, and what do you look for when you scout?
God bless,
T.R.
I scout a lot, looking for trails, rubs and scrapes, and try tohuntparticular bucks I've seen during my scouting sessions.
03-06-2009, 08:30 AM
#2
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location:
Posts: 214
RE: Are You Willing to LEARN
From T.R. :
Although scieintific studies (or supposed studies) often show conflicting results, BECAUSE they are either conducted differntly, conducted at different times of the year (most hunters are mainly concerned with what occurs during fall and early winter), or because they are conducted at different latitudes or in entirely different habitats.
That is why I have read every research paper I can - so I get a broad view of whitetail behaviour - and as much knowledge of whitetail biology as possible - then look at my own 10 year research project on urban, big woods and mixed agicultural habitat - so that I can come up with some "generalities" on whitetails deer.
What I have found is that - through my studies and those of others - that you can make some pretty reliable "generalizations" about how deer react to meteorological conditions, lunar factors, the rut, hunting pressure etc.; that although the timing of the different run phases differ in different areas, we do know that the activities or each rut phase generally overlap each other, that the rut phaes are generally longer and later in the south thaan they are in the north, that not all bucks are on the same time schedule during the rut (generally due to age and testosterone levels), and that does in each are generally breed at fairly specifec times each year, ine each region, because of th timing of spring (so fawns dont die of hypothermia, and there is enough forage for does toproduce milk to feedd the fawns).
We also know that whitetails have fairly specific ways to communicate with each other, through the use of scents, body position or action and soundes - that are common to all whitetails - everywhere.
We also know that whitetails are primarily browsers (not grazzers), and that in general they have fairly small (as opposed to other deer species) "yearly home ranges" that they use throughout the year, but that they may have two or more "seasonal home ranges" (winter,spring,summer,fall - depending on forage availability and security and thermal cover each season) within that "yearly home range". And they generally have a "core area" where they spend the majority of their time during the day (where they have their bedding sites), and that these core areas are generally "traditional" in nature, meaning they are often used day after day, and even year after year, by the same animal - which makes them susceptable to "patterning" their daily movements - as to approximate time and location - which in turn helps us choose the right spot - at the fight time - to kill a "particular" deer - of your choice.
And all of that - my friends - is what we are going to talk about in this on-line seminar. If you pay attention, you will lean something, and it just may make you a better hunter. It made me a better one.
Realize that as an outfitter and guide, I should not be content to know where there ar lots of deer. I am supposed to know where bucks in the 140 class are - on a regular basis, so my clients go home happy. So I have to know where particular bucks - to the best of my knowledge - at All times - and in all conditions/
Now, if you can hunt one particular buck, you are extremely prepared to hunt any deer - in general.
I hope you will play along, ask questions and possibly learn.
I am more than happy to anwser questions, but am unwilling to get into debates about what I write, being on 25+ talk forums, writing for 60+ websites, and being on the intenet for a minimum of 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week - I just do not have time for debates and arguments - I'll just try go ignore them.
You can either accept what I wirte, or ignore it.
God bless,
T.R.
That is why I have read every research paper I can - so I get a broad view of whitetail behaviour - and as much knowledge of whitetail biology as possible - then look at my own 10 year research project on urban, big woods and mixed agicultural habitat - so that I can come up with some "generalities" on whitetails deer.
What I have found is that - through my studies and those of others - that you can make some pretty reliable "generalizations" about how deer react to meteorological conditions, lunar factors, the rut, hunting pressure etc.; that although the timing of the different run phases differ in different areas, we do know that the activities or each rut phase generally overlap each other, that the rut phaes are generally longer and later in the south thaan they are in the north, that not all bucks are on the same time schedule during the rut (generally due to age and testosterone levels), and that does in each are generally breed at fairly specifec times each year, ine each region, because of th timing of spring (so fawns dont die of hypothermia, and there is enough forage for does toproduce milk to feedd the fawns).
We also know that whitetails have fairly specific ways to communicate with each other, through the use of scents, body position or action and soundes - that are common to all whitetails - everywhere.
We also know that whitetails are primarily browsers (not grazzers), and that in general they have fairly small (as opposed to other deer species) "yearly home ranges" that they use throughout the year, but that they may have two or more "seasonal home ranges" (winter,spring,summer,fall - depending on forage availability and security and thermal cover each season) within that "yearly home range". And they generally have a "core area" where they spend the majority of their time during the day (where they have their bedding sites), and that these core areas are generally "traditional" in nature, meaning they are often used day after day, and even year after year, by the same animal - which makes them susceptable to "patterning" their daily movements - as to approximate time and location - which in turn helps us choose the right spot - at the fight time - to kill a "particular" deer - of your choice.
And all of that - my friends - is what we are going to talk about in this on-line seminar. If you pay attention, you will lean something, and it just may make you a better hunter. It made me a better one.
Realize that as an outfitter and guide, I should not be content to know where there ar lots of deer. I am supposed to know where bucks in the 140 class are - on a regular basis, so my clients go home happy. So I have to know where particular bucks - to the best of my knowledge - at All times - and in all conditions/
Now, if you can hunt one particular buck, you are extremely prepared to hunt any deer - in general.
I hope you will play along, ask questions and possibly learn.
I am more than happy to anwser questions, but am unwilling to get into debates about what I write, being on 25+ talk forums, writing for 60+ websites, and being on the intenet for a minimum of 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week - I just do not have time for debates and arguments - I'll just try go ignore them.
You can either accept what I wirte, or ignore it.
God bless,
T.R.
03-06-2009, 09:37 AM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: North Central Idaho
Posts: 539
RE: Are You Willing to LEARN
Every area and every buck is different, that is what makes hunting interesting. If it was down to a science where Big Buck A will be at Spot B at exactly Time C, I would no longer hunt, since it would not present a challenge. The challenge of the hunt, being in nature, and spending quality time with friends and family is why I go out into the field, the game you take is just the icing on the cake. I am not saying I don't hunt hard, and don't use a few tricks I picked up along the way, it's just that I find hunting more enjoyable when I make it more about enjoying the momentthan rack size.
03-06-2009, 12:28 PM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Port Neches, Texas
Posts: 5,514
RE: Are You Willing to LEARN
T.R. if you are so good and are on so many other web sites, why come here and bug us?
We certainly don't need or want your advice! You and your alter ego, WildlifePhoto might as well peddle your "indisputable, un-debatable advice somewhere else!
We certainly don't need or want your advice! You and your alter ego, WildlifePhoto might as well peddle your "indisputable, un-debatable advice somewhere else!
03-07-2009, 02:48 AM
#8
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location:
Posts: 214
RE: Are You Willing to LEARN
You might not want T.R. here, but it is obvious that some guys appreciate what he writes (from their posts).
It the mods or admins decide they do not want his stuff here - they will either tell me, or delete his stuff. So far - they have not done that - and it is them that gets to decide- not you.
Do you plan on contributing something positive to this thread - or just being negative. I'm sure others here (and me) would like to read aboutyour favorite hunting techniques - so we can learn from you.
It the mods or admins decide they do not want his stuff here - they will either tell me, or delete his stuff. So far - they have not done that - and it is them that gets to decide- not you.
Do you plan on contributing something positive to this thread - or just being negative. I'm sure others here (and me) would like to read aboutyour favorite hunting techniques - so we can learn from you.
03-08-2009, 06:55 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Southeast Missouri
Posts: 2,178
RE: Are You Willing to LEARN
I'm always willing to learn something new......some things work in different conditions because of the amount of deer density,food sources,weather conditions and tempature to name just a few,I take most information with a grain of salt and have learned not to believe everything written down,shown on TV or on a Hunting Video,some things I've actually experienced or learned over the years of Hunting were by trail and error while others were taught to me by experienced Hunters that weren't selling a certain type Gun,Scent Attractant,Broadhead or brand of Camo.Every day I go out hunting doesn't guarantee me I'm going to harvest an animal but I'm just as happy if I've seen another beautiful sunrise or sunset,a Red Cardinal or a Bobcat sneaking by my stand. ;0)
