huntingson

I've gotten more into expanding my areas and increasing my number of stands. It is amazing what a subtle move in stand position can do for shot opportunities. I have also started just trying to enjoy the outdoors and not worry too much about killing something. It makes it so much more enjoyable when you take the time to appreciate where you are and how blessed you are to be there.

GMMAT

I learned where the deer are.

I learned how to access my stands and WHEN I can access them without blowing deer out of the area.

I learned to hunt different trees and adjust.

I learned when to NOT hunt if I can't get in there in plenty of time.

I learned the value of scent conrol.

I learned what an arrow looks like that's made a fatal hit on a deer.

I learned the value of GOOD lights.

Too many more......and still counting.......

stikbow26

If I had to pick 1 and the most imporant one, it would be I have become more aggresive. One example is a good friend of mine has wrotea few articles for hunting magizines on a style of hunting he calls Bump'em and Dump'em where he will actully find where about a big buck is living and walk right through there to jump him up and then set up right away on that spot, His theory is the buck just thinks everything went right he either smelt the hunter or seen him or heard him and excaped just like it was planed. My has has killed a bunch of booners with this theory and I have killed 2 of my biggest doing it. Walt

kshunter

If I picked one important change in my hunting style over the years, it would be to do more pre-scouting. The less you can leave to luck, the better. Learn as much as you can about the deer patterns, most used trails, type of deer in the area, bedding grounds, etc. I spend nearly as much time in August and September in the field, as I do in October and November. Gaining that extra knowledge before season opens is the differencein being lucky and making your own luck. I can think of several instances where I hung a stand in a specific hotspot which I normally would not have, only because of my pre-season scouting.

LebeauHunter

stikbow26,

that's interesting. So basically, in some cases the deer isn't convinced of what it was, or it is used to human activity and based on typical activity thinks you are just moving through, so he circles back to his "safety zone."

It's a little similar to the 3 different "scare" levels of deer, i.e. first level deer walks off nervous but may hang around (you could be a squirrel, fallen tree limb, etc.), to third level which is snorting and flagging (which is run for your life that man in the tree is trying to kill me). If you can move him out of there without it being the third, I would think it might be successful.

I may have to try it, especially late in the season. I guess it would also help to know almost exactly where he is located because a lot of times they will slip out without you hearing or noticing and you won't know where to set up. I guess this could also be boiled down to go set up in the big deer's bedding area.

In answer to the thread, I have also become more agressive, and am learning not to stick with what isn't working (even if it looks "perfect"). That's why I'm considering tactics like stikbow is talkin about.

HuntingBry

Wow have I changed over the years. I'll try to make this chronologic.

Stopped doing deer drives with a bow.

Hunt more alone.

Watch main travel corridores.

Know bedding areas and hunt a safe distance from them.

Follow food sources.

Spend more time scouting and using game tracking information.

Watch my scent.

Play the wind.

Don't overhunt stands.

Use topos and aerial maps.

Alter access to stands.

Have morning and evening stands.

Scout immediately after the season.

That brings me to where I am today. I feel like I have learned so much over the years, but still haven't begun to scratch the surface. I guess that is part of what makes it so much fun.

rybohunter

not overhunting a stand
Not going to a stand in the first place until the time is right
Pay more attention to entrance and exit routes

shed33

over the years my most significant changes... Scouting year around, Scent control, Variety in hunting areas, bowhunting whitetailsoff the ground

-Outside of the two-three week rutting window....With whitetails, I pretty much only hunt/set up where I have already established a pattern of daylightmovement by abuck or bucks.

-I go out of my way to enter or exit an area based on wind/thermals inconjunction with bedding area exits or entrance by a buck.

- I've been practicing strict scent control for 10 years and make sure to never cut cornerswhen whitetail hunting from any type of fixed position.

- I scout hard/ shed hunt from Jan-May covering a lot of ground dissecting different bucks core areas, out here,this can equate to 50-100 acres comprising both sides of a mountain. Since the older bucksshed antlersso early (late dec/earlyJan)many older bucks are shedding right in their fall hunting season core area. I've killed over half a dozen bucks 3.5 years and older within 200-300 yards of where I picked up their shed or sheds the year or two prior. I never see this with younger bucks, they are all forced into southerns from the snow pack and thats where they shed for the most part.

-Thenfrom Junethrough mid AugustI back off and spend a lot of time observing predominate food sourcesfrom non- threatening distances (I use elevation for observation vantage points or I set up observation stands if need be). I make sure to follow the same entrance/ exit game plan and scent control regimen duringsummer scoutingas I do when I hunt. I dont want to tip off a buck that close to season.

-Icontinue tobowhunt whitetails off the ground more each year. This season I did over 60% of the time. This really puts scent control, wind and camo to the test. I'm a big believe in 3-D leafy based on how the deer in my area have reacted to me while being on the ground.

-I scout and hunt 4 different counties now. Versus just hunting ONE area 20 years ago. which allows me to never feel the need to over hunt a stand or area.

I feel like I've been able to capitalize on gathering valuable informationwhile having summers offbeing ateacher. I do run my own business in the summers but I get to set the hours.This makestheJune-August scouting justifiable with the family and kids.. it doesn't get dark till 9:00 pm or later...often putting me home well after 10 or 11 pm depending on what county I am scouting in. With fuel prices these days, Igoing to bepulling the camper more this summer to a fewdistant areas for extended scouting/observations. (We'll call it camping. )