I don't care if you bait or not, if you have food plots or just get it done on the ground, on your own, what tips, would you share with all of us......
The best part of a site like this, is all the knowledge that is out there, and you bet, I want to pick your minds, since I can always learn something...........
During early season, hunt evenings focusing on food sources. As the rut approaches, start adding mornings and use calls more. In early rut and lockdown, consider all day hunts with rattling and calling. Post rut, focus on food sources again. Have fun, first and foremost.
A friend of mine took a bad fall while stepping from his steps to the stand. That is THE highest risk part of tree hunting. He now uses a life line.
I know I should use one too but so far I have not followed my own advice on this.
Thought I would hate them but now after using them I love it. I have 9 stands setup this way. Hoping to get more for the rest of my stands......
Jeff in MN's Link
Opening day of archery. Rattle lightly every hour with small horns. The bucks have lost their velvet and the young bucks are doing a little sparing . Twice I have had mature bucks walk in to remine the kids who the boss is.
Opening day of archery. Rattle lightly every hour with small horns. The bucks have lost their velvet and the young bucks are doing a little sparing . Twice I have had mature bucks walk in to remine the kids who the boss is.
#1 I am very careful not to introduce scents into my areas. However when I do, this is the most succesful way I have layed down a scent trail.
I use fresh, clean, boiled clean, wooden clothes pins, the kind that have the spring. I use my gloves, disposables or my trapping gloves. I lay out my line, by dipping the clothes pin, in the scent, and clipping the pins, as I go along, and get to my spot, be it the ground or the tree stand.
The advantage I have found, is this gets the scent, up off the ground, better chance to catch his nose..........
When I leave, I simply take them out with me, LEAVING, no scent behind, like you would do with a ground drag etc.
This year I am going to film, more than hunt, I want to show, how this works well at times........
This tip has worked for me also in South Dakota, but too much wind is no good.....
I use Toilet Paper, and I tack it to a small tree. The idea is for deer, to think its another deers tail, and the motion, makes them curious......
I also love to decoy hunt, that info for another time, but the TP trick has worked a few times, it has caught their attention enough, to turn them, and bring them in....... I have only had small bucks come in, so that is all I can say, but sometimes I use it......
Some of my spots are 45 minutes in. Shooting time ends, it is well after dark, when I come out. Sometimes, I just want to sit on the beaver dam, and listen to the coyotes howl, and look at the stars, so when I get out, its well after shooting time....
One night I was checked. I never see a warden, but this guy saw the truck, so he just set up to watch. As I came out, headlamp on, he checked me. everything was square. He said that was a good idea with the cloth case, he knew I was not hunting after hours........
Another Tip - Tried and true, it has served me well especially during late season....... PIT BLIND.....
Now I got into this in the late 80's left it alone for over 10 years, rekindiled in the 90's.......
Now this is a blind that is best made in the spring. You will need a shovel, spade and post hold digger. Also it takes alot of work.....
You need to have alot of faith in the spot, or be a heavy baiter, of which I am not......
Dig the hole 4 feet deep, and 4 feet wide. then the trick is, brush in the pit blind from BEHIND. What you want to build is a rabbit hole. You sit in that, and your bow should be clearing just at the line of the hole. You might have to make it bigger, depending on your size.
You want it, just big enough to fit yourself into. Unlike a commercial blind, that hole they see does not seem to bother them. Build yourself a top also........
Did I tell you its alot of work.... But it can be a great blind. In the winter, you can have a small heater down on the floor/ground area.......
I have two like this set up, in transitional areas. Those areas, where I hunt, are those with at least 3 types of cover, joining, and lots of old rubs, an area, the deer come into, all the time.....
