Contributors to this thread:
A topic I'd like to share for those people who have the ability to prune, and willingness to try it.
Today on this beautiful day, I am out here right now with my loppers grooming some trails. I'm taking existing deer trails and bending them. Why? Because there's not always the perfect tree on the perfect trail, offering the perfect shot....but you can bend existing trails towards you. In this woods, it's a lot of gooseberry, honeysuckle and buckthorn. I find a deer trail, and groom it so I can walk down it. The catch is, I will block the trail as it meanders away from my stands with some deadfalls, and groom that trail (bend it) towards a better tree stand setup. It's great exercise, and it offers me alternative stand sites in the future. often, I'll set up a trail camera and observe how quickly they start using it. It's rather easy to manipulate their movement in just a couple hours worth of time. Deer certainly like the path of least resistance. Now I know this isn't for everyone, and if you don't approve, how about you find another topic to shit on? We all get it. You're unhappy. So keep your misery to yourself! I get plenty of boots on the ground by doing this. Right now I'm hearing a tom turkey gobbling his head off in the distance, and with any luck, I'll catch up with him 5th or 6th season.
I've identified a few new stand locations today, pruned a very nice trail, and also made a couple quiet approaches to two existing stands. It doesn't stop here. I'll spend several days out here cleaning up those branches that get in the way of clean shooting, and with 23 stands, I'm far from done. I'm a firm believer that your first sit on a particular stand is your best, so I really take heart in prepping them for the best most quiet and windless approach, and having them set up to allow that first sit the best opportunity is a no-brainer to success. Nothing worse than walking to your stand only to realize there's an obstacle in your way.
Again, this approach is not for everyone, but one of my greatest contributors to good deer sightings, is taking the time to set the stage. Grooming deer trails, your approach trails, as well as your stand site are imperative in my opinion.
I sure hope you're all enjoying the beautiful day. The smells and sounds alone have fulfilled mine to the tenth degree, and I haven't even started! Onward right after drinking a beer!
Deer love to use our trails, especially a buck putting on the miles trying to find a hot doe!! I'm envious of you, firewood cutting and brush hauling for me today. I usually don't get to cut trails til mid summer, hardest part is making them pass at shot distance from my stand and keep going for some distance. Usually I'm on public along the edge of a clear cut so if I can hit a logging road it helps reduce the amount of trimming I need to do.
Pete, Shouldn't you be at home washing windows for the wife or something? I'm jealous... At least I got to work outside today. Never go in the woods without a ratchet pruners. I agree with you. Pruning trails can be quite effective...
Good grief, just buy an auto feeder and put up a fence.
Jeff, I confess that I love cutting trees, bucking wood, splitting firewood about as much as anything. I don't even burn wood, but taking a tree and making sustainable heat from it, is awesome. So yeah, I had my own sort of fun, but we both should feel content. I'm glad you will get out there and make your own trails. It's quite effective. Even better than baiting in my opinion. The perfect setup on a passing deer that provides the best shot angle and cleanest shot is what I'm after. A less than 20 yard shot that allows the cleanest and swiftest death of the deer I shoot. Anything else seems less than optimum.
Retro! I don't mind dirty windows lol. The raised beds are ready to plant, and the lawn was mowed before I went out to the woods. Admittedly, I'd be pissed if someone else was out having fun while I was at work.
Pete, how many acres are you dealing with, and then maybe we can relate,,, Thanks k
Agree. Agree. Agree. I have many times directed deer to move past my stand locations. Create a trail. Prune a trail. Make an area attractive by creating a "pinch point" or by making another area unattractive. It all works. Yes, it is possible to direct the movement of deer in favor of the hunter. Lots of ways to do it. Pete, sounds as if you've learned this secret too! Kinda neat huh? Yep, that's cause it works!
Ground Hunter, I'm hunting on 960 acres, but I'll be honest, my focus is on 360 acres of which I'm probably spending the majority of it on 120. Of course it takes some special kind of property that has everything to offer, and it's not for everyone, but it works even on a small scale. I've been doing it for over 30 years, and if for no other reason, it also allows the deer to move through the woods silently as well. It certainly allows deer to sneak up on you without you being aware, but if your eyes are peeled and you have sensitive hearing like I do, it most certainly works.
Yes Bill, you and I have talked on this topic in the past, and with any luck I'll see what you're doing on your piece of land this Monday. Looking forward to meeting both you and Jim. We will be like 3 kids jabbering about deer and other things. I pruned about a mile and a half of trails today, and I'm amped up to move a couple stands in the next month or so because of it.
It works especially well in marsh habitat... Pete, I have a turkey tag this week. It was hard enough keeping my mind on work today. I've been watching a group of Tom's on some land adjacent to mine for a week. I have permission to hunt it. Blessed with a great neighbor... Tonight I got home from work, turned in my driveway and the whole group of Tom's was spinning dead center in it. God has a strange sense of humor sometimes....
Retro, I'm confident it works anywhere. The best part about pruning an existing deer trail, is backtracking to where they come from. You must force yourself to look up and around, because there is much to learn, and it's quite amazing how just 100 feet of distance can mean when it comes to stand placement and presentation. Some people would think I was crazy how I'll have perhaps 3 stands very close to one another, but for me, the wind is uber important, and my approach must be right, or it isn't going to be in the equation, but having multiple choices in stand placement just opens the possibilities. If there's one thing I don't mind spending money on, it's my ladder stands.
The one deer training tool that hasn’t been done yet is a litter box, it’s about that last thing in the toolbox. Everything needs to shit at least once a day, sounds like a great idea
Yesterday I was planting White Spruce in areas we had some logging done this past winter. Planting them in areas for screening, and for bedding. Our next big project is to move a bunch of leftovers and pile for rabbits and other wildlife. At the same time, clearing off a couple of areas for food plots. While doing this, we will create new travel routes for the deer which just may go past a couple of stands... Fun stuff! BC
Sounds like a great project James. Yes, white spruce are perfect for screening and thermal cover for sure!
On Marathon County public, I'm not even allowed to cut shooting lanes.....not so much as a twig. I know a guy who got fined because his climber marred up a tree too much. I'm an avid backpacker and a firm believer in "leave no trace", I apply these same ethics to public land so I have no issues with playing by the rules. Stump, you take a lot of S#$! on these forums, but I gotta admit I agree with 75% of what you're saying. It's obvious we're hunting different animals at this point, private/public is a completely different hunt with all the gadgets and gimmicks being used. That being said, the deer litter box is actually a fantastic idea, and if it'll guarantee a hunter that sought after selfie to post it'll sell like hot cakes.
Retro, good luck on getting your bird. I'm sure you'll have success. Send me pics!
Bush
There are plenty of us real hunters out here, maybe I need to get a hunting celebrity to endorse it, some of these idiots will try anything for an advantage
I believe it s called little man syndrome
Something to chew on for you chaps today.
Here is a list of tactics that most of the crossbow haters use that are considered “not” the easy button.
Pruning trails, compound bows, food plots, game cams, cell cams, redneck condos, range finders, kiddie water holes, expandable Broadheads, eyesore ladderstands littered every 50yds, pop up tents, using a rifle during the any weapon season, using a shotgun for field carp, ozonics, scent killer, hand warmers, and the list goes on and on.lmao
But mention a wolf or a crossbow and it’s the root of all evil.
Can’t make this stuff up.
Pete I pruned a few trails last year on a piece of private. One in particular that the deer were using and once in a while they would get my silhouette (small tree) but I blocked it and manipulated a new one to my favor. Definitely smart idea if you can. Nice read
Ryan, I'm a big fella, and lucky enough to have some giant burr oak trees to hide my silhouette, but I'm not going to lie, those deer certainly look up lol. That's another reason to bend a trail a bit. Some of those ancient branches that offer good cover are also in the way of an adequate shot angle, hence the reason for a slight trail bend in the right spot.
Stumpshooter always entertaining,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Boy this blew up in the OPs face.
The amount of personal messages I am receiving is heart warming and is hopeful that their are still true Wisconsin deer hunters left in Wisconsin.
The 2 hall monitors are out numbered.
I'll say it again, there's not a better less intrusive method for taking inventory of what you have in your area. These cameras are unbelievable! The battery life was well over a year, the picture quality excellent, and right now, the price on a two-pack is at 200 dollars. At five bucks a month (per camera) for 250 pictures (per camera) sent to your phone, it is such a deal. I will take five pictures in a burst, but only the second photo is sent to your phone. Of course you miss stuff and will get triggers from squirrels etc. Using these for real time hunting is not how I use them, and quite literally it would be very ineffective due to the delay. For me, it's just simply smarter, and far less intrusive, and I leave the least amount of scent behind. I have two on 2 separate trails leading to and from the little pond neighboring the property. Two leading to and from feeding, which this year it is alfalfa and the apple orchard, and one over a coyote den. I'm curious to see how many fawns succumb to those yotes. I've been warned at how effective these coyotes are at killing fawns. Well anyways, if you want a great cellular camera that I put my stamp of approval on, then these are it. Just be warned. The notifications are addictive, and you just never know what you'll get. In one single day last fall, I received a red fox, a really nice buck, a doe with 3 fawns, a white turkey, a coyote, and a few raccoons. Setting them up on a known game trail is pretty awesome. Yes, you can gather videos, but only a picture is sent to your phone. I can't wait to gift a couple to my father in law for his place. There's a cool game crossing on a beaver dam on his property up north, that will likely catch way more animals than we have here.
Some like showing pics of there toys others prefer nature
The less crutches you use the more in tune you become.
Pete, those are the cameras I have switched to also. I have 6 of them and will be buying 4 more. I do use 5 of them as surveillance cams. I leave 2 of them in the woods year round and have had zero issues.
I agree Rut. They work flawlessly
Nice, you don't have to lay down a bunch of scent pulling SD cards and you know what's happening now. How about "motion" pictures. Do you get a lot of "wind" pictures?
Well two feathers, I do trim the branches that cause those phantom photos, but squirrels are a nuisance lol. The camera in my opinion is as sensitive and quick as any of them, and the clarity is fantastic even the night photos. I literally feel like those people who continue to use trail cameras with sd cards, but denounce cellular cameras, either don't understand the concept of how cameras being checked continually really impact your true potential, or don't have cell service lol. It's a good tool that would honestly be hard to really abuse.....no matter what the naysayers happen to think. When the companies speak of "real time" pictures, there's a delay. I'm not one to have my phone in my hand. Mine sits in my bag lol.
Well, this website does not do these photos justice lol. Let's just pretend the quality is 10 times better than what you're seeing lol.
Pretend seems to be apart of a lot of chaps lives.
