My first "real" deer season
11-11-2013, 06:16 AM
#21
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 3,359
After staying out of our woods for a week, me and my buddy went in yesterday. I had my trail cam looking over a convergence of trails downhill and South of the orchard where I've photographed several bucks and bears. I was getting the doubt from my friend but alas, the first pic is an eight point walking right past. Several other deer, does and horns, in multiple events confirmed the hot spot. Got a small spike during the daylight. I've caught him in night pics with one of the eight pointers so likely, the big guy was close by.
Southwest of this small orchard is what I'm certain is their bedding area. Southeast leads up a steep bank to the road so they ain't goin' that way. We made it down to the swampy area that borders this hardwood forest and the sign was literally everywhere. From that point due west about a hundred and fifty yards away, there's a steep drop off to the stream and beaver ponds. This makes a strong natural funnel that will force deer past our stands. My bud's now second guessing his two man tree stand northwest of this area where it's more open. He got the thing on sale cheap so he may just end up buyng a climber and pinching off that funnel near me. One stand on the corner of the swamp and one to the west short of the drop off and just about everything has to travel near one of us.
All that said, I think I'm gonna be ok with my smoothbore and red dot sight. The mount I made came out really nice and solid. I'm not going to get a shot longer than 50yds through the forest and I'm hitting some decent groups at that distance. The sight helps a lot. So for this year, I'm gonna see how it goes. I still have to practice from my stand.
I've hunted geese, ducks abd upland birds for many years and I'm a very good wingshooter. Shot several gobblers too but I'm learning that this aiming precisely and releasing the trigger without flinching or moving off target presents it's own challenge.
Southwest of this small orchard is what I'm certain is their bedding area. Southeast leads up a steep bank to the road so they ain't goin' that way. We made it down to the swampy area that borders this hardwood forest and the sign was literally everywhere. From that point due west about a hundred and fifty yards away, there's a steep drop off to the stream and beaver ponds. This makes a strong natural funnel that will force deer past our stands. My bud's now second guessing his two man tree stand northwest of this area where it's more open. He got the thing on sale cheap so he may just end up buyng a climber and pinching off that funnel near me. One stand on the corner of the swamp and one to the west short of the drop off and just about everything has to travel near one of us.
All that said, I think I'm gonna be ok with my smoothbore and red dot sight. The mount I made came out really nice and solid. I'm not going to get a shot longer than 50yds through the forest and I'm hitting some decent groups at that distance. The sight helps a lot. So for this year, I'm gonna see how it goes. I still have to practice from my stand.
I've hunted geese, ducks abd upland birds for many years and I'm a very good wingshooter. Shot several gobblers too but I'm learning that this aiming precisely and releasing the trigger without flinching or moving off target presents it's own challenge.
If you are really having trouble take a buddy with you to shoot targets, have him load your gun before every shot and tell him to leave it empty sometimes. Do that until you don't jump on the empties.
Last edited by rockport; 11-11-2013 at 06:23 AM.
11-11-2013, 06:35 AM
#22
Fork Horn
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Dark Side of the Moon
Posts: 406
Two schools of thought on accuracy with a single bullet:
#1) take a deep breath, let it halfway out and slowly squeeze the trigger until it surprises you.
#2) Plan on a lot of range time where you can shoot the gun effectively enough that your eyes do not even close when the gun goes off. You are comfortable with the guns recoil and know the trigger pressure / creep exactly. Then you can depress the trigger to the point that you know any additional pressure will cause the gun to fire. At this point, you can put the sight exactly where you want the bullet to hit and "slap" / touch the trigger. This method is a favorite of snipers as they have to send the bullt accurately, at a specific time and point of impact.
If you choose #2, I would recommend getting a snap cap for your gun. This way you can become familiar with the trigger pressure / creep by dryfiring the gun into the cap. This will save you wear and tear on your firing pin. In either method...practice, practice, practice.
When you aim at a deer, aim where you want the bullet to exit on the opposite side. Example, on a quartering away shot from a treestand, go through the vitals and exit low through the opposite side frint shoulder. I have made poor hits on deer even though my impact looked good, but I did not take into account the animals orientation. Aiming for a spot you want the bullet or arrow to exit helped me.
#1) take a deep breath, let it halfway out and slowly squeeze the trigger until it surprises you.
#2) Plan on a lot of range time where you can shoot the gun effectively enough that your eyes do not even close when the gun goes off. You are comfortable with the guns recoil and know the trigger pressure / creep exactly. Then you can depress the trigger to the point that you know any additional pressure will cause the gun to fire. At this point, you can put the sight exactly where you want the bullet to hit and "slap" / touch the trigger. This method is a favorite of snipers as they have to send the bullt accurately, at a specific time and point of impact.
If you choose #2, I would recommend getting a snap cap for your gun. This way you can become familiar with the trigger pressure / creep by dryfiring the gun into the cap. This will save you wear and tear on your firing pin. In either method...practice, practice, practice.
When you aim at a deer, aim where you want the bullet to exit on the opposite side. Example, on a quartering away shot from a treestand, go through the vitals and exit low through the opposite side frint shoulder. I have made poor hits on deer even though my impact looked good, but I did not take into account the animals orientation. Aiming for a spot you want the bullet or arrow to exit helped me.
11-11-2013, 08:01 AM
#24
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,473
People dogging red dot sights have no idea what they are talking about. The entire REASON red dot sights exist is to acquire your target in the shortest amount of time possible. You shoot with both eyes open (as you should anyway). If you have a proper cheek weld then the red dot will be perfectly within your field of view. It's almost like the red dot is part of your vision.
11-15-2013, 04:23 AM
#25
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Western Massachusetts
Posts: 106
So am I concerned for no reason that I have yet to find an active rub? This property has dozens and dozens of previously rubbed up saplings...they're literally everywhere. I was in yesterday, 11/14, and cannot yet locate any fresh rubs. I've found scrapes and a few of them have been actively scratched up each time I go but I was expecting to see some bark ripped up by now. I've trail cammed 5 different bucks so I know the area's still holding bucks.
Someone tell me to chillax homer, the rubbing will start any day now!
Someone tell me to chillax homer, the rubbing will start any day now!
11-15-2013, 07:51 AM
#26
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: North Idaho
Posts: 1,071
So am I concerned for no reason that I have yet to find an active rub? This property has dozens and dozens of previously rubbed up saplings...they're literally everywhere. I was in yesterday, 11/14, and cannot yet locate any fresh rubs. I've found scrapes and a few of them have been actively scratched up each time I go but I was expecting to see some bark ripped up by now. I've trail cammed 5 different bucks so I know the area's still holding bucks.
Someone tell me to chillax homer, the rubbing will start any day now!
Someone tell me to chillax homer, the rubbing will start any day now!
11-15-2013, 08:12 AM
#27
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Western Massachusetts
Posts: 106
Yeah wildcam. I have photographed a number of deer. Just kind of wondering if it's normal to be this late without active rubs. Again, the woods are littered with damaged saplings from years past.
11-27-2013, 04:48 AM
#28
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Western Massachusetts
Posts: 106
So my anxiety continues to rise. It seems as though deer sign on our property has been diminishing instead of ramping up and I'm not sure what to make of it. Historically, this place has been a deer hunting bonanza with several old stands rotting out of the trees and dozens of old damaged saplings but there continues to be a lack of active rubs.
Then we had snow overnight yesterday. It snowed about three inches and then it stopped at exactly daybreak. I figured this was an excellent opportunity to go out in the afternoon to look for tracks. Well I covered almost the entire 100 acres and did not see a single track!
That means that not one deer moved through the property all day long. This has me rather concerned. Where did they go? Will opening day on Monday see them pushed around?
The good news is that my friend has purchased this property so it will be ours to manage for years to come. We'll plant an orchard and various other plots...perhaps some pumpkins and of course, deer feed plots. So even if this year fails to pan out, we haven't wasted our money on stands and such and we'll just look to the future.
I'll have more info for this thread after Monday. Guess we'll have to just get out there and hope for the best.
Then we had snow overnight yesterday. It snowed about three inches and then it stopped at exactly daybreak. I figured this was an excellent opportunity to go out in the afternoon to look for tracks. Well I covered almost the entire 100 acres and did not see a single track!
That means that not one deer moved through the property all day long. This has me rather concerned. Where did they go? Will opening day on Monday see them pushed around?
The good news is that my friend has purchased this property so it will be ours to manage for years to come. We'll plant an orchard and various other plots...perhaps some pumpkins and of course, deer feed plots. So even if this year fails to pan out, we haven't wasted our money on stands and such and we'll just look to the future.
I'll have more info for this thread after Monday. Guess we'll have to just get out there and hope for the best.
11-27-2013, 05:19 AM
#29
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 3,359
So my anxiety continues to rise. It seems as though deer sign on our property has been diminishing instead of ramping up and I'm not sure what to make of it. Historically, this place has been a deer hunting bonanza with several old stands rotting out of the trees and dozens of old damaged saplings but there continues to be a lack of active rubs.
Then we had snow overnight yesterday. It snowed about three inches and then it stopped at exactly daybreak. I figured this was an excellent opportunity to go out in the afternoon to look for tracks. Well I covered almost the entire 100 acres and did not see a single track!
That means that not one deer moved through the property all day long. This has me rather concerned. Where did they go? Will opening day on Monday see them pushed around?
The good news is that my friend has purchased this property so it will be ours to manage for years to come. We'll plant an orchard and various other plots...perhaps some pumpkins and of course, deer feed plots. So even if this year fails to pan out, we haven't wasted our money on stands and such and we'll just look to the future.
I'll have more info for this thread after Monday. Guess we'll have to just get out there and hope for the best.
Then we had snow overnight yesterday. It snowed about three inches and then it stopped at exactly daybreak. I figured this was an excellent opportunity to go out in the afternoon to look for tracks. Well I covered almost the entire 100 acres and did not see a single track!
That means that not one deer moved through the property all day long. This has me rather concerned. Where did they go? Will opening day on Monday see them pushed around?
The good news is that my friend has purchased this property so it will be ours to manage for years to come. We'll plant an orchard and various other plots...perhaps some pumpkins and of course, deer feed plots. So even if this year fails to pan out, we haven't wasted our money on stands and such and we'll just look to the future.
I'll have more info for this thread after Monday. Guess we'll have to just get out there and hope for the best.
You got an Arial photo?
I'd take it easy on covering the entire 100 acres this time of year.
11-27-2013, 06:35 AM
#30
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Western Massachusetts
Posts: 106
I only have what google earth shows which is a summertime picture so it's hard to see much. The area is nice mix of small fields, flats, slopes and marsh. A number of oak trees as well.
I'd take it easy on covering the entire 100 acres this time of year.
Yeah, that's a concern and we've been careful about not making too much of a presence but yesterday, I figured if there's literally not a single track, what could I possibly spook?
The West border is a large swamp and beaver pond. To the East is a high ridge. It seems like a natural funnel from North to South so we plan on pinching that area between the two stands and see what gets pushed through. Seems like that's about all we've got to work with. We did photograph a number of bucks and a couple of doe groups back in October and early November so there has to be something around.
Could that first snowstorm of the year cause them to lock up and bed down all day?
I'd take it easy on covering the entire 100 acres this time of year.
Yeah, that's a concern and we've been careful about not making too much of a presence but yesterday, I figured if there's literally not a single track, what could I possibly spook?
The West border is a large swamp and beaver pond. To the East is a high ridge. It seems like a natural funnel from North to South so we plan on pinching that area between the two stands and see what gets pushed through. Seems like that's about all we've got to work with. We did photograph a number of bucks and a couple of doe groups back in October and early November so there has to be something around.
Could that first snowstorm of the year cause them to lock up and bed down all day?