Biggest mistakes Whitetail hunters make?
Whitetail Deer
In your opinion... what are the top mistakes hunters make in the pursuit of MATURE whitetails?
Hunting before Halloween. Big bucks don't get on their feet much during daylight until after Halloween. This should get us off to a good start.
During the rut, the biggest mistake I see guys make is not being in the stand during daylight hours.
Ill give a few......
1) Over-hunting stands early......I'm guilty
2) Under-hunting stands when deer are active because you "just hunted there and saw nothing"......I'm guilty
3) Moving too much and getting busted and not knowing it......I'm guilty
4) Hunting bad winds on stands because its the only its the only time you can hunt......I'm guilty
No wonder I never shoot good ones! :-(
Hunting stands without the perfect wind prior to the rut. During the rut, probably what Scrappy said. I'm guilty of both, but A) I like to actually be out there and hunt too much (not always for a big buck) and B) sometimes life gets in the way. I'm also not patient enough to sit all day without seeing much activity.
Not taking into account entry/exit routes and scent left behind. Have countless trail cam pics of mature bucks picking up something hours later and sprinting out of there. Trail cams near stand sites also seem to hurt my chances in the past also.
Shooting a nice buck to early....and not waiting for the real big deer to start moving.... guilty many years in that.
Not peeing from your stand.
Over hunting "areas" not necessarily stands along with pressing sits in stands with marginal winds.
People 'complicating' what is 'not so hard'!
Depends on who you marry, find some chick with 5000 acres in the Midwest and wife her up!
Hunting too early and leaving residual ground scent from poor entry/exits.
Using MATURE WT tactics when elk hunting :)
I agree with cnelk. Been there done that got the t-shirt.
Yes, Herm... we know, you've killed a pile of big bucks. We get it. For some, (the guys I'm going to let read this), they are rookies and have never killed a mature Oklahoma whitetail. That is the point or reason for me starting this thread. Personally, I wouldn't feel it would be too difficult to kill mature deer in the upper Midwest either.
Hawkeye... the leaving scent is very much overlooked. Good point. I have been guilty before. A lot of other good points as well. Thanks!
Jack... please give valuable input. So far you have given zero. Oh wait, never mind. :)
So far... top "mistakes"...
Hunting too early.
Over hunting certain areas/stands.
Hunting marginal winds.
Leaving scent from unplanned entry/exit routes.
Getting married. :)
Not spending enough time/energy/money finding the right SPOT to hunt. If you have the right spots it can only be a matter of time. If you don't have the right spots to hunt, you can do everything right...but if there are no mature bucks there....tough to kill one. You can look at that one macro or micro.
One of the ^^^ things mentioned is hunting too early. I've got a dynamite October area where there are big mature bucks walking around in daylight hours. problem this year has been getting time to hunt. I'm not going to say I'm an expert but I truly believe if I had had time for more than 3 hunts this month I could have killed a really nice min 8.5 year old 5x6 I've hunted since 2012. I believe that there are great areas to hunt in October, and great areas to hunt in Nov, but they may not be the same spot. In this area almost every year there are what many would consider giants walking around in October. This area that I hunt is dead by middle of Nov, and I will no longer hunt it. There is a good recent episode of Midwest Whitetail called "Public Land Bucks" or something like that that corroborates this theory. So I don't think hunting too early on it's own is an issue, but hunting the wrong area too early could definitely be a problem.
Concentrating on only the buck. When we started paying more attention to doe, that's when we started harvesting mature bucks. Pattern the doe always, and manage doe in the late season. Not devoting time. Scout with your glass from a distance, instead of walking and looking for sign, if possible. Yea it takes time. If your hunting small timber, give the deer the woods. Stay out! Hunt the edges, again, scout with your glass from a distance. They need a sanctuary. Your route to the stand. A lot of deer bed on the edge where they can see everything. Including you walking in the middle of a field. One doe running and snorting can ruin your hunt. (she usually becomes my new target!) Be careful where you leave scent too. I have saw deer cross the trail I just traveled, only to smell my scent a do a 180! Yea I had rubber boots with scent blocker.
The next four weeks It's all about the does. Pretty soon they will breed with bucks or hide from bucks! Never shoot a doe without fawns in the next month! The Buck is right behind! When you see fawns on foodplots by themselves it's on! Follow thru!!! C
I'm certainly no whitetail "expert", but I do it a bit and I see A LOT (unfortunately). The biggest mistake I see over and over is they never take their time on the shot. They make a small noise and slam the trigger seemingly simultaneously, and it results in A LOT of bad hits, and coyote food. Slooow down fellas.... Savor the flavor. (Because if you don't your not gonna like the taste)
"getting Married" NO DOUBT WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!!
Junior... Charlie... great points. Hunt the does. (I'm big on this too)
Elkman... good point as well. The biggest hurdles can be set aside if you can't make the shot. I really believe some have that, self control, auto-pilot that makes it happen. Some fall apart. But that's a different subject. :)
APauls... You are correct about some places being good early spots. So, that makes sense. All areas being different. I have never found that on places I hunt. Again, many variables make one spot a good early area vs. not so good.
The biggest mistakes I see, or make (and I'm certainly not an expert). . .
Entrance/exit and where your scent is going on entrance/exit. Crucial, and overlooked. I constantly struggle with it for deep-in November stands, and am constantly re-thinking it.
Not having enough stands. You can probably have too many stands in one area, but it would be difficult. But you can't rely on one area/stand.
Not relying on one area/stand :) Some places need to be sat more than once. While I generally agree that the first time in is the best time, sometimes it pays to keep hunting an area, knowing that eventually something will come through. Not always good to bounce around a lot. I used to be VERY guilty of this
Buying the hype. I don't necessarily mean gadgets, as I love gadgets too. Or camo, because I like technical clothing as well. But more the scent control hype. . . I know guys swear by it, and many kill monsters and attribute that to their elaborate regime. But for the majority of bowhunters, if they would spend less time trying to be scent-free, and more time worrying about their setups, I wonder if they'd be more successful?
Hunting mule deer! It will turn you into a mule deer hunter!
Overhunting stands. Hunting a stand when the wind is wrong or highly questionable.
I would consider myself a rookie and will be watching this one
... I would say that over hunting a stand is the #1 mistake...and probably the only one I'm not guilty of lol
You can hunt a stand frequently if the wind is right and the path to it is right. Otherwise be selective.
Over calling, or under calling, depending on the season and circumstances. Knowing when to use grunts, bleats, rattling, etc. Only experience will tell you which is which. And then having confidence in what your doing.
Lots of good points mentioned above.
The one thing I think that has helped me the most, is to continue my shooting during the season and coming up with a good routine for when the pressure is on. Many mornings I shoot from my illuminated back patio at 4am just to verify my bow is still dialed in and I'm using proper form. Also came up with my own mantra to take my mind off of the buck and put more focus on my shooting form.
You can follow all the good advice that is mentioned here, but if you can't hit what you shoot at it'll still be an unhappy ending at the end of the day.
10 years ago I shot over a 190" gross 5x5 at 25 yards. Still wish I could have that shot back! I still get excited when a shooter is coming into range, but I'm able to stay much more composed now.
Great topic. Thanks.
I'll add one of my favorites: hunting a stand in the morning when it should be only hunted in the afternoon due to deer travel routes. I spent years thinking you only kill deer by getting up real early and hitting the woods. I still enjoy it but some stands are just not for the mornings.
I agree with Bake also. Just don't think you can fool them. Another point I have noticed is this:
Sometimes we wait until the perfect wind....too perfect. But, I cant remember the last time a buck walked into my setup or field with wind at his back. However, the best wind seems to be a cross wind or one in which they are on the edge of detecting us.
Lets say I'm facing E and wind is NW, hitting my left cheek, especially if I plan to take a shot to my left. They use the wind to reveal danger and does, not just going for a stroll. So now if the wind is straight to the back of where I think they are coming, Ill choose a stand that is borderline as otherwise I feel it to be a wasted venture.
Also, I try to be 25 yards off the trails I wish to shoot them. I swear they know when your within 20 yards.....:0
Paying more attention to your smart phone than what's going on around you. I've been burned several times being to focused playing a game or texting only to look up and see a nice buck walking away.
And if you think getting married hampers the hunting wait till you have kids!!! Can't wait until she's a little older. Short term pain for long term gain :) - hunting wise. Having kids itself is pure gain.
Without a doubt, hunting where there are big bucks.
You can get sloppy and still encounter big bucks if they're there, but it won't matter how smooth you operate if there are no big bucks around.
We make it harder than it has to be, if you have does coming by you in November, it's just a matter of time. Nothing more, nothing less.
is not being in the stand during daylight hours.
this
#1 I would say burning out stand locations. I'll hunt a particular tree max 3 or 4 times a season and the 1st time is nearly always the best. I know quite a few guys that hunt the same ladder stand on a small farm all season and wonder why they shoot a buck once every ten years. That's why I use my climber 95% of the time, I couldn't afford hang ons for all the places I hunt.
Pushing the wind direction has hurt my hunting many times and even last year, and I'm old enough to know better. Over hunting a spot is critical.
And a lesson deer taught me long ago: When you think you have that buck figured out or "patterned"....Ha! He figured you out long before you ever learned his first move. Humans are too easy to pattern to an animal with some of the best survival skills in the universe.
#1- Believing what they see on TV.
1. Pressuring areas before they are prime... Its not only about the risk of educating the buck, its also about educating the does. Chances are the big one will be following a doe when he comes through. Why risk it being to doe that "skirts" you from previous encounters...? 2. Not hunting stands when the time is PRIME. Guys get to worried about being aggressive and hesitate to do so when they need to. I've set up within 100 yards of a bucks bed, risk vs reward. If the conditions are right, you have to make a move! 3. Last but not least, entrance and exit routes. Know your deer and make a game plan for every sit.
Not having access to a good area is number one. But assuming we all did have access to a good area.... 1 Not scouting at the right time of year. 2 Not having enough stands perfectly and strategically hung. 3 Not putting in enough hours during the rut. 4 Not knowing the size of the bucks in an area. It helps to know what is in your area to set realistic goals. 5. Not being patient enough.....I've found it best to leave my rut stands completely unhunted until the rut gets going or suffer the consequences. 6. Not being able to hold it together at the moment of truth.
IMHO,
1. Lack of scouting
2. Pressuring a big buck's bedding area
3. Lack of patience (on stand and or stand location's)
4. Willingness to settle for a lesser buck
5. Fear of tag soup :^}
*** Great pic Hawkeye ***
Moving back to the Northeast.
Ned X2!!
Also know when you can move in the stand to draw and when you can't move. I always try and pay attention to where the non target deer go when they travel past me. I been busted more than once while trying to draw on a target animal by another deer that I thought had left the area.
Way cool pick Hawkeye! Nice shirt too. That one of "Ghost's sheds?
All things being equal, you must have a fool proof entry/ exit route, to each stand site. That is my first priority.
Relying on gadgetry instead of woodsmanship. Too much useless crap that gullible and/or lazy hunters purchase thinking it will get them in a magazine.
Letting your imagination tell you nothing will come by, in November at that. (assuming wind is good) Stay put all day and this site will be covered with nice bucks. Instead of that new bow, get clothing that will let you stay put all day without shivering.
1.Over scouting prerut 2.Underscouting during the rut
1. Relying on technology 2. Relying on deer going where you want them to be. 3. Not shooting enough from different positions 4. Time is worth more than money spend the time scouting January-August 5. Hunting from a stationary spot because you expect deer to be there, get mobile
Being 6 to 9ers and 3 to 6ers. Meaning those who hunt for 3 hours at the beginning and end of the day, walking back and forth to their camp/truck in the process. I can think of no better way to have deer pattern YOU.
If I plan on hunting both the AM and PM, I stay in the woods all day, ESPECIALLY during the rut. I may take a snooze and change my area, but I'm still in the woods.....and hunting.
The biggest bucks I've killed have been during the middle of the day.
Hunting before Halloween, hunting stands over food plots and not putting enough work into their property in the off season.
We have over a half a million hunters and most will kill the first Buck within range, so you have to be extra careful to kill good bucks.
Every now and then a great thread comes along on bowsite. This is one of them. Thanks guys, this is very helpful.
Totally agree Woods Walker. I've killed all my biggest bucks midday that includes all 5 species.
Read Genesis post.....and then read it again......
Good deal AndyJ:)
Thanks buc and sure is t-roy:)
Genesis... please elaborate with your complete thoughts. Thanks. (Yes, I'm serious about you elaborating) :)
So, we have... In no particular order...
1.) Over-hunting stands too early.
2.) Under hunting during the rut.
3.) Hunting marginal winds.
4.) Not paying attention to entry/exit routes to stands.
5.) Not hunting the does or paying less attention to.
6.)Not having enough stands for differing winds in an area.
7.) Too concerned with gadgets, devices, phones.
8.) Not taking advantage of the right winds per land layout or nuances.
9.) Not being aggressive enough during the RIGHT time of season.
10.)Lack of preseason scouting.
11.) Lack of patience on stand... or, not putting in enough time on stand.
12.) Not having an area to hunt that holds mature deer.
13.) Getting married and living out West. :)
Did I miss any, fellas?
I agree with a lot of the above.
1. Wind.
Plain and simple. It wasn't until I went to Scotland did I really understand how important wind is. Red Stags are sensitive, like a WT, to scent. The neat thing over there is how open it is and they bed right out in the open. If you do not play the wind right or it shifts it's amazing how quickly they disappear.
WT are the same way. If you hunt a money stand and you go in with bad wind and don't see anything t's because your scent hit them hundreds of yards out and they went elsewhere.
2. Location. Location. Location.
You won't regularly shoot mature bucks unless you have the land that they call home - that's typically private. So many guys are too afraid to identify great land and find ways to meet the landowner.
My wife has found me 2 properties that were my best to date where I have not only killed mature deer but tons of deer.
3. Putting in the hours on stand.
Yes you will kill a lot of deer first two and last two hours of the day. However, during the rut and key times you need to put the more than a few hours on stand. Big mature bucks are wily and do things that are always surprising.
4. Use technology.
Game cams are amazing recon tools and will help you hone in on big buck areas faster than anything else you can do because it gives you the truth immediately. Outside of wandering bucks in the rut game cams typically give you 80-90% of an idea what's going on in that neck of the woods.
Not to say there aren't surprises but I find a good game cam can really be a differences maker.
Using scents and lures
I have seen guys put out so much lure that a cheap street walker would think they are using to much!
Not staying in the stand all day. Killed a bunch of bucks between 10-2. Pack a lunch and stay. I see deer all day long in November.
Without a doubt the biggest mistake that most whitetail hunters make is not hunting other big game. When a whitetail hunter tries hunting elk for the first time they usually become less of a whitetail hunter.
Don't try other big game unless you're looking for a challenge. The success rate for archery elk is about 10% in most states.
Rushing the shot, been there, done that, messed up a few easy shots at giant bucks
Elkstabber... Meh... I've hunted Elk numerous times. I like it. I'm around 30%. But, I love trying to outwit a big mature buck a bit more. With that said, If I had ample opportunity, vacation, money... I'd do it ever year. I have actually become more of a whitetail hunter.
Elkstabber you contradict yourself? Mistake is not hunting other game, yet hunting other game makes you less of a hunter?
I would agree that hunting other game makes a person a better hunter if that's what you meant. Diversification teaches a person new skills that can be used elsewhere.
I didn't see this one yet....
I think a guy has to be careful about moving around too much in their stand. I've went over to meet guys.....and immediately picked them off from 200yds away due to them fidgeting and moving around in the tree.... those big bucks see everything.
Add that to the list ^^ Beendare... ironically, that happened to me on a GIANT 10 point late last December. Although, mine was reaching back for my bow and not taking into consideration that he might have a buddy with him, since the rut was over. Buddy caught me moving and he took BIG 10 with him. Still beat myself up over that one. :(
Hunting with the wrong wind.
Not hunting HOT sign
Not staying on stand
Overhunting one spot
APauls, sorry I wasn't very clear. Hunting other big game will certainly teach you how to become a better overall hunter. Hunting whitetails in different environments (big timber, swamps, ag fields) will teach you to become a better overall hunter.
But what I really meant was that hunting other big game will likely make you want to hunt whitetails less. I've bowhunted whitetails for over 30 years. I've bowhunted elk and other big game for the last 15 and in that time I've definitely lost a lot of interest in whitetails. Not all of the interest. I'm hunting today after work. But a lot of the interest. Big screaming bulls that shook the ground did it to me. I know I'm not the only one.
I don't mean to offend anybody but if you think whitetails are fun, you should definitely go for other big game. I think it's a mistake to limit yourself to whitetails.
1. Not getting my kids involved enough when they were younger. 2. Being on the wrong side of the tree. By this I mean to use the tree to help conceal you, so being in a stand on the opposite side of a tree from the trail. I can't tell you - it's once a year I setup and I'm facing the trail and get picked off by a deer visually before they get close enough. Being on the backside, I face the tree and just stick my head out and can see them coming before they see me. Sure - I have to stand the entire time, but it pays off when they come by.
My suggestions are as follows and contradicts many of the above posts. 1. Scout more than you hunt whether that is setting up to glass or trail cameras. 2 . Only hunt where you know there is a mature deer if they aren't there you won't get them. 3 . Hunt early season, In October once identified these bucks will have smaller ranges until the rut then all bets are off, also much less chance the get harvested by other hunters. 4. Make an effort to hunt colder than average periods and weather changes ,it isn't how many days you hunt buy which days.'
thinking the BH they used on whitetails wont work on elk
Good points Elkstabber. I just don't think a lot of folks have hunted "a lot" of things. Therefore they have no idea what you are saying, but as beautiful and awesome as they are, the biggest whitetail that has ever lived won't shake your soul the way a 5 point bull will screaming in your face at 8 yards...
^^^^^Gotta disagree ELKMAN.....
I called and rattled in a big mature 8.5 year old, 170+ whitetail to 3 yards in 2012. After the shot I was an absolute wreck, when I called my buddy he had no idea WTF I was trying to say......ohhh, I've shot an elk also AND prefer to elk hunt. However everybody is different and what makes one shake another might laugh at.
Complacency is the biggest thing IMO. That holds true for elk or deer. For deer I'm always hunting fresh sign or what my cameras show me. For elk I'm never satisfied with what worked last year, or for the last 10. Elk and deer I'm always looking for something fresh and "now", then I'm smart enough to slow down and make it happen.
Hey you elk hunters calm down. Lol
I didn't see this one Keeping your bow in your hands, ready for the shot when 10 hours on stand comes to 5-10 seconds.
You can put in all the effort you want with scouting, time on stand, technology, etc. but it comes to the time of truth the last thing you need to do is make extra movement to locate and grab the bow. Its hard enough to raise draw and shoot without a mature animal picking you off.
I have been busted doing this several times, now its always in my hands (there are a number of aids out there for helping to hold a bow).
I've got to disagree with you elk hunters. I love hunting elk because of the athleticism involved and the country they are hunted in... But whitetials are much more fun in my opinion. I haven't hunted mule deer but I'm guessing a rut crazed Muley is something that takes ones breath away.
Don't know if its the biggest mistake hunters make, but its certainly one many make.
Thinking you can "buy" a free range trophy class buck.
I worked for an outfitter for a few years and every season I would see guys pay big money to hunt then get upset when they didn't see anything. They would blame us saying we lied and the big bucks weren't there etc...
I know for a fact the big ones were there. I would see them every summer and winter. But during the hunting season all those hunters would over hunt. They would get frustrated after a few hours in a stand and start walking around. We would set them up in a perfect area in a stand where no one has been hunting and first thing they would do is set up their trail camera, dump food around it, put doe in heat scent around it, then walk in and out 4 times a day for a week straight and get mad when all they would see is fawns and yearlings.
Agree with Michael and RedOctober. I might be the odd man out, but BIG mature whitetails still are the toughest animal I've ever hunted. I've been chasing the same buck for three years and only seen him once. Love the athleticism and training that goes into elk though, the country and calling. Its all great.
I could NEVER be a whitetail outfitter...hell...I cant even kill one;) Listening to the "where are they" comments would drive me crazy.
"Sometimes we wait until the perfect wind....too perfect. But, I cant remember the last time a buck walked into my setup or field with wind at his back. However, the best wind seems to be a cross wind or one in which they are on the edge of detecting us."
-Hawkeye's observation needs to be re-posted, imo. The only caveat to needing a crosswind ambush is when a buck is actively tending/chasing.
- Overcommitting to a great looking unproductive spot is a nagging habit. Be logical, if you're not consistently seeing deer, an element of time or space (to include approach) needs to be altered.
-Not deploying trail cameras. The most reliable trophy takers I know all use trail cameras to some degree and consider deer hunting a year round pursuit.
Thank you Owl. I need a t-shirt with this on the front and back. "- Overcommitting to a great looking unproductive spot is a nagging habit. Be logical, if you're not consistently seeing deer, an element of time or space (to include approach) needs to be altered."
Conversely, I have a stand that seemed like a good idea in August but I lacked all confidence in it last year when the season started so I rarely sat there. Decided to try it for a lunch time hunt in November and killed the biggest buck of my life. Timing, timing, timing.
Great info! Understanding the many other factors, something I don't think has been mentioned is the height placement of your treestand (if you hunt that way). What is your "minimum" height? Does that change when sitting a field edge vs. in the woods?
Mike
Lots of good info! Over scouting/hunting an area and sticking with a spot just because it produced in the past. I use a rule of 3 - if I don't have legit shot opportunities at deer in 3 sits (usually not back to back sits) when the wind is right for the spot in what looks like a great spot I will write it off. Hunt the wind!
Lee
One big one has been said not hunting the doe groups. Leave them alone early so you do not educate them, then hunt when the big boys are starting to look and chase. Shawn
One big mistake I see all the time is guys wearing their hunting boots walking around gas stations and convience stores,alot of guys think there boots don't lay down scent but walk around a gas station and even I can smell the gas coming from them!
Losing focus. As I was looking for some vocal turkeys through rather thick brush, an 8pt walked right into a 12yd shooting lane. I was facing the wrong direction when I heard sound in the corn that I should've been watching.
Aubs8, about stand height I pay absolutely no attention to the height of my stand. I hang and hunt only and all I'm looking for is cover. If I have good cover at 3ft. and can see everything I want I will Hunt at 3ft. From 1ft to 25ft. It's all about the cover.
Great question and great responses. I'd add not taking enough/quality pictures after recovery.
One thing I've seen multiple times......brand new bow hunters holding out for big bucks only. They've never shot a deer with a bow, and they won't settle for anything less than 150. They spend 2 or 3 years hunting and when one shows up, they hit him bad or just miss. They just have no idea how to execute a shot at a live deer. Go out there and kill some deer. Get some experience under your belt before you get picky.
I havent read all the post yet. But if i were to give the two biggest in my opinion it would be #1 not playing the wind. #2 not getting close enough. Ive killed a shit ton of deer and only two have been over 20 yards. You can get away with it up north with those big bodied suckers but in Texas no reason to shoot over 20-25 yards most of the time.
My brother and I were hunting this morning and we discussed this thread going into a piece of property and he says: "I got one, when using a barbed wire gate standing on the wrong side when you close it." HA!!! Who's been there?
Being in such a hurry to get to the farm and into your stand before daybreak you leave your bow at the house. Not me of course, happened to that guy. ;)
Here's one a mule deer taught me about two hours ago. If you are hunting from the ground, don't be a gaper. When he gets close don't feel the need to watch his every move. Stay low and focus on or near your shooting lanes.
