Frustrating bow season

[jdc48160]

This has, by far, been my most frustrating bow season since I started bow hunting.

Had my blind set up, ready to go for my week of vacation I was taking to hunt.(14th thru tomorrow)

Well, less than a week before I'm set to take to the woods, the guy who owns the property I hunt calls me up and tells me I set up on the spot the other guy who hunts there normally hunts on. Now, I admit, this was my mistake. I thought I had spoken to him about moving to the other end of the property from where I hunted last year. I guess I didn't. My mistake.

So, I re-set my blind and camera on the other end of the property. At this point, it's only gonna be there for like 4 days prior to my first day of vacation.

I swapped memory cards on the camera when I moved my stuff. TONS of pics of deer at the end of the property I was initially at. Not so much at the spot I ended up at.

I think if I had more time to have my stuff in the spot I ended up at, I'd have been ok, but the moving around and the blind popping up there messed it all up, not giving them enough time to get used to something new there.

Think I'm gonna try for a little late season action, see what happens. Then, pack it up, and start planning next year's hunt. I think I can make this spot work, just gonna have to set up my stuff WAY earlier. I'm talking, set my blind up in like July, and make sure it's very well brushed in to hide it. Might even add a ladder stand next year to give myself a second spot on that end of the property. Think I'm gonna grab another camera or two as well. Gonna go with a little bigger blind, too. Had an AmeriStep Dog House I've used for over 2 years now. It's beat up and tore up. Gonna get something like a Primos Double Bull, something of that sort.

Just frustrated with how everything unfolded this year for me.

/RANT

[Armed Fitter]

I've been there brother, it's sucks in short, it's a culmination of more things than that, dam weather too, way to warm as of recent, as far as them getting used to it moved, at this point in the game and date the rutt is on, most of my friends and my trail can pics are now showing the big boys at nite and a few satellite bucks in the day(mostly spike). Id say if you have the time off work, give it hell for a day or two, those who think, and it into the big biz products and such, yeah they work, but a lot of this game is the right place right time and a whole hell of a lot of luck. Get a few days out there man, it sounds like you have prepped and waited all year for this, good luck and God bless, and if you do go out and whack one let us know

[cmr19xx]

Leave the blind now that its there, but I think you might have been better off if you skipped setting up the blind in the new spot and used a tree stand instead.

[jdc48160]

Leave the blind now that its there, but I think you might have been better off if you skipped setting up the blind in the new spot and used a tree stand instead.

Don't have a tree stand, so I'm kinda stuck with what I do have.

Back to the work grind tomorrow morning. Gonna try to get out here and there when I can for the remainder of the season since the weather didn't decide to change til the end of my time off this week.

Already formulating next year's plan of attack to make it work better than this year did.

[jemcclai]

Don't have a tree stand, so I'm kinda stuck with what I do have.

Back to the work grind tomorrow morning. Gonna try to get out here and there when I can for the remainder of the season since the weather didn't decide to change til the end of my time off this week.

Already formulating next year's plan of attack to make it work better than this year did.

there's always Nov 15 as a backup

[cmr19xx]

I wouldn't give up on the season. There is still a lot of time to take a deer.

I've had success ground hunting - no blind or stand, just a 3D suit I picked up from Bass Pro Shop for around $50. I've had deer come in really close and not even know I was there. You can change your position depending on the wind and weather and you're not tied to one spot like you are when using a blind. Find the deer paths, food sources, rubs, etc., setup and see what happens. People have hunted for a long time without trail cams and all the crap we have today.

Just my $.02. I hope the rest of the season goes better for you.

[Armed Fitter]

I wouldn't give up on the season. There is still a lot of time to take a deer.

I've had success ground hunting - no blind or stand, just a 3D suit I picked up from Bass Pro Shop for around $50. I've had deer come in really close and not even know I was there. You can change your position depending on the wind and weather and you're not tied to one spot like you are when using a blind. Find the deer paths, food sources, rubs, etc., setup and see what happens. People have hunted for a long time without trail cams and all the crap we have today.

Just my $.02. I hope the rest of the season goes better for you.
i will second this, take a look at lucky blinds in Ubly they have some bad a#@ stuff, like camo parka/pull overs that are awesome for ground hunting

[bkglad]

I hunt mainly from the ground during bow and gun. Added challenge and have not taken a buck but have taken a few does this way. Like said above you can move all you want. Due to wind, day time, and what not. Yes, I have tree stands up but winds sometimes can be real funny, on my properties. I'm young but I am still a firm believer in not spending money for sucess but hunting smart and hard to be successful. I believe you can where all the scent eliminator crap you want but if the wind ain't right you will still be busted.

[mikethepike]

So if you aren't seeing deer at your new spot...drop some bait and make the deer come to you.

I hunt on stateland in Jackson , there are guys all over the place. I hunt a narrow tract where no deer really ever came by...then again--no hunters either. I've moved logs, cleared under brush to make trails and baited the area to make the deer come to me. I'm not a trophy hunter--i'm a meat hunter and I just want to increase my chances of harvesting a few deer to help feed me and my family.

If you drop apples (which I prefer) , bring your ground blind and set it up. Also, bring some apple cider and a spray bottle and spray the vegetation around you and stream the foliage above you--spray your way out of your location . I bet that night you will have deer on your camera. That sweet apple smell will travel 100's of yards . It works for me every year

[mikeb32]

And what you don't spray you keep in your blind in case you get thirsty!!

[Ruger]

So if you aren't seeing deer at your new spot...drop some bait and make the deer come to you.

I hunt on stateland in Jackson , there are guys all over the place. I hunt a narrow tract where no deer really ever came by...then again--no hunters either. I've moved logs, cleared under brush to make trails and baited the area to make the deer come to me. I'm not a trophy hunter--i'm a meat hunter and I just want to increase my chances of harvesting a few deer to help feed me and my family.

If you drop apples (which I prefer) , bring your ground blind and set it up. Also, bring some apple cider and a spray bottle and spray the vegetation around you and stream the foliage above you--spray your way out of your location . I bet that night you will have deer on your camera. That sweet apple smell will travel 100's of yards . It works for me every year


I've done the same thing many times over the years.

I liked to drop the apples and crush a few and hang a small terry cloth towel soaked in apple juice/cider.
For weeks I had deer using a small thicket of scrub oaks and a few pines that no one would have ever thought of hunting.
For opening day of gun season we always gave that spot to the old guy the did all the cooking because if he got his deer early we were assured of a great dinner that night!

[mikethepike]

[QUOTE=Ruger]hang a small terry cloth towel soaked in apple juice/cider.

in order to keep the scent around and drifting?

[Cnc man]

Don't get discouraged . It only takes a split second for a deer to come in. I was having a rough year also. Not a lot of action, nothing close. Then last night I shot a 8 pnt the only deer I saw. I almost was so discouraged from being skunked I wasn't going to hunt but my wife and friends told me get out you never know. Well it payed off. The deer are starting to move so spend every chance u can in the woods. Have you ever considered a climber ? I bought one for 160$ it does the job.

[mikethepike]

Have you ever considered a climber ? I bought one for 160$ it does the job.

I AGREE--- I have a Summit Goliath ...it allows me to spend all day in the tree. Light , easy to use and comfortable

[Ruger]

[quote=Ruger]hang a small terry cloth towel soaked in apple juice/cider.

in order to keep the scent around and drifting?

That's part of it....but the trail I used would force the deer to walk right to the towel and take a good sniff. I've even watched them licking and chewing on the towel. But the main reason is that I always hung the towel so that the deer would have to position itself with its head up and almost hidden behind the tree.

[mikeb32]

I am taking Notes here!! Wouldn't hanging that help mask your scent as well?

[mikethepike]

I wonder if hanging my wifes panties would have the same effect? :grin: :thup:

[mikethepike]

in all seriousness, I've done this and it works great

eYs7534TGFs

[Ruger]

I am taking Notes here!! Wouldn't hanging that help mask your scent as well?


I've never been one that was worried about masking my scent. Fact is I used to hunt opening day of bow in a white tee shirt that was soaked in sweat from getting to the tree stand and climbing up there. I used to smoke in my younger days and it never stopped me from filling a tag.
I'm sure the deer smelled me along with 10,000 other smells in the area but their need for food was more important then a smell. I've had a few spooked but not because of the smell but because they caught me moving.

[Ruger]

in all seriousness, I've done this and it works great

eYs7534TGFs


Indeed PB work well also. I have a buddy in Howell that has his trail cams set up and they come running right to the jar! He took an old wood-duck (Nest) box and made the hole bigger so the jar would fit in the box and that way they couldn't carry off the jar.

The deer in my area have somewhat evolved over the last 35 years, they've gotten smarter! Small yearlings and does fall for the PB and the apple juice but the deer that get mounted on a wall rarely fall for a food offering.

Personally I was always a meat hunter and took the smaller deer and yearlings were the best in my book.

[mikethepike]

.

The deer in my area have somewhat evolved over the last 35 years, they've gotten smarter! .


That's why you take out all the witnesses :naughty:

[jdc48160]

Hopefully, I'll be able to sneak out this week.

Gonna give the apple cider thing a try. Gonna hit the farmer's market and get some apples, too. They have what they're selling as 'deer apples' there this time of year.

Had a chance to get out and swap out memory cards on my camera today.

Still LOTS of night time movement.

Think it might be time to go with a doe scent with it being rut time? Or should I hold off a bit longer on that?

[mfytczyk]

I bounce around quite a bit from trail to trail with my climber, or just on the ground works out pretty good most years. picked a spot on a saturday evening set until dark didnt see a thing left my climber in place until morning hunt got to the stand right at day break (I was running a little late that day) normally in my stand before its light out shot a buck around 9 am sunday morning. Its all on being in the right place at the right time without alerting them with scent noise or movement. for years I never even used a stand for bowhunting and normally killed a deer well before gun season. then there are the years that were frustrating being scented or seen before shooting. Ive put a blind out and hunted it the same day and saw deer. Just dont give up

[Cackler]

I hunt mainly from the ground during bow and gun. Added challenge and have not taken a buck but have taken a few does this way. Like said above you can move all you want. Due to wind, day time, and what not. Yes, I have tree stands up but winds sometimes can be real funny, on my properties. I'm young but I am still a firm believer in not spending money for sucess but hunting smart and hard to be successful. I believe you can where all the scent eliminator crap you want but if the wind ain't right you will still be busted.


And that is exactly why I am on the computer instead of in a tree right now. I have one stand behind the house and the wind this morning is the worst wind I could have to hunt it so, I will have to wait until another morning to try and arrow what is showing up on the camera.

[Cackler]

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[cmr19xx]

I've never been one that was worried about masking my scent. Fact is I used to hunt opening day of bow in a white tee shirt that was soaked in sweat from getting to the tree stand and climbing up there. I used to smoke in my younger days and it never stopped me from filling a tag.
I'm sure the deer smelled me along with 10,000 other smells in the area but their need for food was more important then a smell. I've had a few spooked but not because of the smell but because they caught me moving.

Same here. I've never bothered with all the scent blocker stuff. I do try to use the wind to my advantage, which makes ground hunting or using a climber a really good way to go.

[mikeb32]

I bounce around quite a bit from trail to trail with my climber, or just on the ground works out pretty good most years. picked a spot on a saturday evening set until dark didnt see a thing left my climber in place until morning hunt got to the stand right at day break (I was running a little late that day) normally in my stand before its light out shot a buck around 9 am sunday morning. Its all on being in the right place at the right time without alerting them with scent noise or movement. for years I never even used a stand for bowhunting and normally killed a deer well before gun season. then there are the years that were frustrating being scented or seen before shooting. Ive put a blind out and hunted it the same day and saw deer. Just dont give up

Pics or it didn't happen!!!

[mikethepike]

Eliminating human or unnatural scents from the program is part of the equation to harvesting a deer. I don't want to spend endless hours and 100's of $$$ in fuel just for a nature sit.
While I don't wear boots that i just pumped diesel for the truck , smoke cigs or eat Indian carry out while i hunt, some carbon blast spray or an apple halved and wiped on your clothes for a cover scent is cheap and increases my chances . I'm not looking to shoot a smart deer , heck they all taste the same to me once they are spicy jerky anyway :whistle:

Its all personal preference, but anytime I can increase the percentage of activity near my stand , like a casino ...I want the house advantage.

[mfytczyk]

23728
Pics or it didn't happen!!! Here you go a small 8 point

[mikeb32]

Good Job Young Man!!

[mfytczyk]

thanks around 90 pounds of meat from it all said and done and it will make a neat euro mount

[mikethepike]

23728 Here you go a small 8 point


Sweet. Congrats!!!!