Tips on how to hunt a herd of deer??
12-11-2006, 06:46 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Paoli PA
Posts: 898
Tips on how to hunt a herd of deer??
Hey guys,
Well this weekend I headed out to my new favorite spot here in VA. It is in Fairfax county so it is pretty residential. From the highway, I saw a monster 10-12 point about 300 yards from the property I have permission to hunt and he was headed away from property. I got out out of the truck and scared him back onto toward the property. My plan was that he was going to walk along the side of the highway and I was going to set up about 100 yards in the woods. Well I park my truck at the house and I can see him about 60 yards in the woods. Then I noticed the rest of them. 18 deer in total with him being the biggest, 3-4 8 points and some scrubbers and does. My question is: how do you hunt a herd of deer? They are either there or not. Should I just put in as much time as I can and hope for the best? Let me know if anyone has any other expertise on this. thanks
Well this weekend I headed out to my new favorite spot here in VA. It is in Fairfax county so it is pretty residential. From the highway, I saw a monster 10-12 point about 300 yards from the property I have permission to hunt and he was headed away from property. I got out out of the truck and scared him back onto toward the property. My plan was that he was going to walk along the side of the highway and I was going to set up about 100 yards in the woods. Well I park my truck at the house and I can see him about 60 yards in the woods. Then I noticed the rest of them. 18 deer in total with him being the biggest, 3-4 8 points and some scrubbers and does. My question is: how do you hunt a herd of deer? They are either there or not. Should I just put in as much time as I can and hope for the best? Let me know if anyone has any other expertise on this. thanks
12-11-2006, 07:02 AM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Woodstock, ILLINOIS
Posts: 243
RE: Tips on how to hunt a herd of deer??
Really you know the answer.
Time and effort.
theres no trick to hunting herds tactics maybe but no tricks.
All deer are in groups. so its getting the right deer at the right time.
I've been hunting a non-typical for the last three years.
seen him three times this year. always with other deer.
I hope he makes it till next fall.
If not im sure he's passed on some good jeans
We've nick-named him Tine-y...(tiny) if i never get that one maybe my son can get his offspring. Just some of the gifts of hunting
[hr]
generations of man and deer make Time worthwhile...
Time and effort.
theres no trick to hunting herds tactics maybe but no tricks.
All deer are in groups. so its getting the right deer at the right time.
I've been hunting a non-typical for the last three years.
seen him three times this year. always with other deer.
I hope he makes it till next fall.
If not im sure he's passed on some good jeans
We've nick-named him Tine-y...(tiny) if i never get that one maybe my son can get his offspring. Just some of the gifts of hunting
[hr]
generations of man and deer make Time worthwhile...
12-11-2006, 10:18 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Harford Co Maryland USA
Posts: 4,966
RE: Tips on how to hunt a herd of deer??
They're bunched up around here too. I watched a herd of 14 in my front yard late in the afternoon yesterday. Getting a shot today will require me being able to draw with none of them seeing me. Tricky!
12-11-2006, 11:43 AM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Paoli PA
Posts: 898
RE: Tips on how to hunt a herd of deer??
Hey tourangeaud,
Where do you live? If we had two guys, either of us or both of us could get shots at these deer. I was trying to do it by myself and just ended up chasing them around....
Where do you live? If we had two guys, either of us or both of us could get shots at these deer. I was trying to do it by myself and just ended up chasing them around....
12-11-2006, 12:11 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Southeast, VA
Posts: 2,119
RE: Tips on how to hunt a herd of deer??
I know some people don't like it but that sounds like and ideal situation for a 2 man push or a small drive.A real quiet sneaky push just set up on the downwind side and send the pusher around and just let him slowly and quietly workin form the other side with his scent blowing into the woods you think the deer are in. Cover the escape routes. It works. Anway good luck with that and if you get real frustrated shoot me a pm Fairfax isn't that far from me!!lol
Just to clarify, this works excellent with a gun but can be done with a bow too. That is where the slow, quiet part comes in as the pusher is really letting his scent do the work of alerting the deer and the little bit of noise just increases the deer anxiety a little which often gets them on their feet. But usually they will try to just quietly slip away and ifthe stander can get setup where they are likely to exit you can usually catch one sneaking out and get a shot. I try to set up near an area theywill probablyapproach cautiously like an old trail, a creek crossing, etc. Only because they tend to stop and go in these type areas(from what I have seen) and you can get a good shot off at a standing deer or even if they are sneaking out quickly you may be able to stop them with a grunt or whistle or something like that. Be setup and ready to shoot quickly. It's worth a try if you get desperate and it is actually pretty fun (adrenalin pumping).
Just to clarify, this works excellent with a gun but can be done with a bow too. That is where the slow, quiet part comes in as the pusher is really letting his scent do the work of alerting the deer and the little bit of noise just increases the deer anxiety a little which often gets them on their feet. But usually they will try to just quietly slip away and ifthe stander can get setup where they are likely to exit you can usually catch one sneaking out and get a shot. I try to set up near an area theywill probablyapproach cautiously like an old trail, a creek crossing, etc. Only because they tend to stop and go in these type areas(from what I have seen) and you can get a good shot off at a standing deer or even if they are sneaking out quickly you may be able to stop them with a grunt or whistle or something like that. Be setup and ready to shoot quickly. It's worth a try if you get desperate and it is actually pretty fun (adrenalin pumping).
12-11-2006, 12:31 PM
#7
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: Tips on how to hunt a herd of deer??
I hunt deer like this in my area. Although I know where they bed.....they vary their exit/entrance points to said bedding area on a regular basis. I have to keep track of them via scouting. Admittedly....it's pretty easy for me to do....because this is on the road I live on.
BUT.....I put in a LOT of days afield....and sometimes you only learn where they're at by being where they're NOT. Sometimes you get lucky and see what they're doing from a short distance....and this helps you to set up on them, next time. I've been after a particular group of 3 bucks, all year. I've moved and moved and been patterning them. Sometimes.....my mistake woud be in the choice of trees....only by sheer yards. If it was easy....they'd call it "shooting".
I got lucky and put myself in the right spot Saturday.....taking my best buck to date (One of the 3 I was after). I've also spent over 40 days afield, this season. It takes time/perseverance.
jeff
BUT.....I put in a LOT of days afield....and sometimes you only learn where they're at by being where they're NOT. Sometimes you get lucky and see what they're doing from a short distance....and this helps you to set up on them, next time. I've been after a particular group of 3 bucks, all year. I've moved and moved and been patterning them. Sometimes.....my mistake woud be in the choice of trees....only by sheer yards. If it was easy....they'd call it "shooting".
I got lucky and put myself in the right spot Saturday.....taking my best buck to date (One of the 3 I was after). I've also spent over 40 days afield, this season. It takes time/perseverance.
jeff
12-11-2006, 01:01 PM
#8
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Paoli PA
Posts: 898
RE: Tips on how to hunt a herd of deer??
I don't know where all least deer came from. All season, I have seen like small bucks and only one real shooter. Now, I see these bucks and I guess they were pushed from other properties. No one has permission to hunt this area (on this side atleast) so it is a gold mine. I am going to try hunting this area from an observation stand tommorrow morning and try and peg them down....if anyone else is around fairfax and wants to try the 2 man drive....pm me
