Traveling Hunters going for trophy's

[Zap]

This is true....one of the best decisions I ever made.

[Bowhunter74201]

i have a case of what i call "mid-west envy". it started about 5 years ago on my first out of state hunt in missouri. i was hooked from the first morning.. i saw a good 20+ deer on my first hunt, over a dozen of them were bucks. that just doesn't happen here in nh. since then, i've done guided hunts in missouri and ohio every year. i have yet to take a buck in ohio, but i managed to shoot 3 nice bucks in missouri. as long as i'm able to, i'm going to hunt somewhere in the mid-west every year. ideally, i'd love to have a lease somewhere out there with 5 or 6 other guys.

i've gone an entire season here and not seen 20+ deer. heck, i didn't see an antlered deer here at all this year. all does and fawns, not one buck. i had some on camera, but never saw any in person. my biggest reason for joining this site is to become a better hunter. i've never had anyone to teach me, i'm self taught. and admittedly, i'm not that good. i can find a doe or a small buck usually every year, but never any mature bucks. they're around, but there aren't very many and i'm not any good at finding them.. yet. i made several attempts at hill country tactics using the scouting methods learned here this year, but wasn't successful. i still haven't been able to find a buck bed either on points or in a marsh/swamp. i know they're out there, i just haven't found em. i need to scout more, no doubt. i just need to find the time, which is hard to come by for a guy with 2 little kids and an overly needy wife who doesn't like to spend time by herself.

[Edcyclopedia]

i have a case of what i call "mid-west envy". it started about 5 years ago on my first out of state hunt in missouri. i was hooked from the first morning.. i saw a good 20+ deer on my first hunt, over a dozen of them were bucks. that just doesn't happen here in nh. since then, i've done guided hunts in missouri and ohio every year. i have yet to take a buck in ohio, but i managed to shoot 3 nice bucks in missouri. as long as i'm able to, i'm going to hunt somewhere in the mid-west every year. ideally, i'd love to have a lease somewhere out there with 5 or 6 other guys.

i've gone an entire season here and not seen 20+ deer. heck, i didn't see an antlered deer here at all this year. all does and fawns, not one buck. i had some on camera, but never saw any in person. my biggest reason for joining this site is to become a better hunter. i've never had anyone to teach me, i'm self taught. and admittedly, i'm not that good. i can find a doe or a small buck usually every year, but never any mature bucks. they're around, but there aren't very many and i'm not any good at finding them.. yet. i made several attempts at hill country tactics using the scouting methods learned here this year, but wasn't successful. i still haven't been able to find a buck bed either on points or in a marsh/swamp. i know they're out there, i just haven't found em. i need to scout more, no doubt. i just need to find the time, which is hard to come by for a guy with 2 little kids and an overly needy wife who doesn't like to spend time by herself.

We must live in the same state
I could have practically written this verbatim...

I've done a late Ohio late Muzzleloader season with plenty of deer in the picture (no-shooters) on a DIY hunt (Jan 2012)
And a MO DIY w/Zap (archery in Nov.2012) plenty of deer (no-shooters)
All aerial scouting only.
Zap helped the first few days, then I went to my own block of timber way in the back of the public and had some real fun stalking w/ a bow...

People have a hard time or can't understand, except Stanley (way back when in IA) & Spy w/ the lack of deer numbers (others too), and how you can hunt effectively with lack of deer, especially when time or money aren't options.

Bowhunter74201 = "mid-west envy" --------- ME Too and almost moved because of that.

[Bowhunter74201]

tell you what, if i didn't have family ties here, i'd be GONE!

most of the marsh/swamp tactics can be applied here, and some of the hill country too, but it's still different. the lack of any kind of agriculture makes a difference. the deer in my area spend 99% of their lives in large blocks of timber. it makes it hard to distinguish definitive bedding and feeding areas. travel corridors or heavy trails can sometimes be found w/out much trouble, but it's tough to tell why they're being used and where they go.

[SamPotter]

Ed- I've hunted OH and MN now, but at the end of the day, hunting in the nearly deerless Adirondacks is where I want to be. I've gone years without seeing an antler up there but when you do get one it really means something! I'd accept your challenge but I don't think it'd be much different than my place...

[ Post made via Android ]

[Master Chief]

"Big woods is too hard, I sometimes sit and don't see a deer, I shoot all of the 2.5s because there are no mature bucks, other people have it better than me"

Sounds like you need to quit singing the blues and trying to turn hunting into some pointless contest and get out and scout.. not to step on your toes or anything

[kurt]

The Bigger the challenge the bigger the reward. You embrace it or move on from it to bigger better places. Just accept it for what it is doesnt matter if its Lower Michigan, Florida, NH, Vermont, Maine, New York wherever...

Ed I feel it would be awesome to share a camp with you or Spy or both. I like your sense of humor.


While Ive only hunted and will continue to hunt the big woods in Northern Wisconsin the scenery is awesome it keeps me going back regardless.

[Spysar]

"Big woods is too hard, I sometimes sit and don't see a deer, I shoot all of the 2.5s because there are no mature bucks, other people have it better than me"

Sounds like you need to quit singing the blues and trying to turn hunting into some pointless contest and get out and scout.. not to step on your toes or anything

Those are some tough words .....especially from the "master chief" LOL

[Edcyclopedia]

"Big woods is too hard, I sometimes sit and don't see a deer, I shoot all of the 2.5s because there are no mature bucks, other people have it better than me"

Sounds like you need to quit singing the blues and trying to turn hunting into some pointless contest and get out and scout.. not to step on your toes or anything

Those are some tough words .....especially from the "master chief" LOL

You should read some of my posts - Master Dude!!!
I do scout, come on up here and show me how it's done.

Free place to stay and also transportation...
Out of state lic. = +/-$200 with a good chance at a bear too, incredible bird hunting.
Dare to dance-the-dance, Sire?

FYI - I wear boots and not sandals by the way, so you won't hurt my toes - LOL

[Master Chief]

"Big woods is too hard, I sometimes sit and don't see a deer, I shoot all of the 2.5s because there are no mature bucks, other people have it better than me"

Sounds like you need to quit singing the blues and trying to turn hunting into some pointless contest and get out and scout.. not to step on your toes or anything

Those are some tough words .....especially from the "master chief" LOL

You should read some of my posts - Master Dude!!!
I do scout, come on up here and show me how it's done.

Free place to stay and also transportation...
Out of state lic. = +/-$200 with a good chance at a bear too, incredible bird hunting.
Dare to dance-the-dance, Sire?

FYI - I wear boots and not sandals by the way, so you won't hurt my toes - LOL

I don't have $200+ gas from TN is too much to spend-I'm just a broke kid doing what I can to kill a big deer

I was just busting your balls about the scouting thing. Now the issuing a challenge and asking us to come up and hunt the same place as you have been (I'm assuming quite a while) is pointless. I could offer you to come here to the land I hunt in TN and that "cockyness" you mentioned probably wouldn't work out so great for you.

Happy huntin and don't just wear your boots-wear 'em out!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Spysar]

I'd get your post count up a little before you start busting balls with the best (meaning ED).

And master chief is a pretty cocky name to begin with..... What are you master or chief of???

[Hodag Hunter]

Master Chief is rank in the Navy.

Tennessee and the navy?

Respect is earned and this young gentlemen must not have learned that yet.

[ Post made via Android ]

[checkerfred]

What part of AL did you go hunt at Ed?

[ Post made via Android ]

[exojam]

Master Chief is rank in the Navy.

Tennessee and the navy?

Respect is earned and this young gentlemen must not have learned that yet.

[ Post made via Android ]

Or the lead character in Halo.

Also, the Navy did use to have a station in Tennessee, that is where I went out of boot camp for "A" school. Not sure if it is still around though.

[ Post made via iPad ]

[UntouchableNess]

I drove to NY Nov. 17th to hunt with someone I met on an internet hunting forum.
NR's get a buck tag and a bear tag for $100, figured it was an affordable way to hunt a species not locally available (bear).
I had no expectation to fill a tag, let alone with a trophy, mostly interested in the possibility of a bear.
Choked on a trophy buck first morning out.
Sheer luck encountering the buck, rather than any skill on my part.
Didn't saw another deer the rest of the hunt and never did see a bear.
Had a great time, I would go back for the friendship/deer camp atmosphere.