Well after years of trying to get on good private(and striking out), I've decided that I'm going to give public a good try this upcoming year. At least to some degree. I will rely on 2 priv spots I have, but year after year they just don't produce but I guess you never know. I have all the light weight gear to get it done(stand, sticks, clothes), I have identified an area(very large public track) that should have good deer numbers and the genetics for good bucks(which I'm sure brings out all of the people too). But I guess here is where I was hoping to lean on all of you for advice. Obviously there's nothing better than getting out there and figuring it out, but if I can learn some of the "don't do's" now....it sure would save me a whole lot of wasted time and heartache.
So that brings me to my first question of many. Years past I've went mobile to try a different area and when setting up, I feel like a damn freight train coming through the woods and setting up. There's nothing I can not stand more than being loud when setting up. My guess is that just flat out doing it more and more, quietness will come with the territory. But...Do you guys have any tricks in being quiet? My setup will be either a LW and LW sticks or my Ameristep Avenger(alum) and LW sticks.
I'm diving into public land hunting, but I need guidance!!
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Re: I'm diving into public land hunting, but I need guidance
Stump... My biggest suggestion would be to do a lot of post season scouting. Locate the big buck bedding areas, look at exactly where they bed, how far they can see, what they can smell when bedded there, and think about when and why they are there. Make your set up as close as possible, and then later when the time comes to hunt you will know where that buck should be and that should make it easier to concentrate on not letting your noise get the his ears. Practice makes perfect. Strive to be as quiet as possible. If an item of equipment makes a noise, fix it. Sound proof it. Don't just accept it.
- cornfedkiller
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Re: I'm diving into public land hunting, but I need guidance
Give yourself plenty of time, and GO SLOW..
When walking into the woods, go slow, take breaks..Animals make noise when they walk through the woods, so you can make noise, you just dont want to sound like a human. When setting up your treestand, again, go slow.. and practice helps..
When walking into the woods, go slow, take breaks..Animals make noise when they walk through the woods, so you can make noise, you just dont want to sound like a human. When setting up your treestand, again, go slow.. and practice helps..
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Re: I'm diving into public land hunting, but I need guidance
The post season scouting aspect is pretty much why I've made this decision so early. I want to get out there now and target my core areas and then when the snow is gone, I want to hit those target areas better and try to look for those faint trails, rubs and scrapes. And maybe get in a little shed hunting.
Cornfed and I just had a conversation about what my thoughts were about all of this and I said,
Quite honestly, I'm not concerned with mature bucks really at this pt of the game. I would be kidding myself if it wasn't something that I did want to learn, but right now....I want to get on deer on public ground. If I can get over that hump, I'll then hone my skills more looking for that next challenge. Next yr, if I kill a doe or 2 and kill anything over the 110-120" range.....I'd be ecstatic. I've hunted waaay too many years waiting to kill "the one buck" for the wall. As a result, I've gone now my entire bow career without a bow buck which is now about 13 years. I'm giving myself a couple years with the bow and on public ground that if I see a 115"er, it will die. I'm not waiting around anymore. ha, ha If I get lucky, find the right spot and something good walks by....then it does but for the time being, I'm not waiting for it.
Cornfed and I just had a conversation about what my thoughts were about all of this and I said,
Quite honestly, I'm not concerned with mature bucks really at this pt of the game. I would be kidding myself if it wasn't something that I did want to learn, but right now....I want to get on deer on public ground. If I can get over that hump, I'll then hone my skills more looking for that next challenge. Next yr, if I kill a doe or 2 and kill anything over the 110-120" range.....I'd be ecstatic. I've hunted waaay too many years waiting to kill "the one buck" for the wall. As a result, I've gone now my entire bow career without a bow buck which is now about 13 years. I'm giving myself a couple years with the bow and on public ground that if I see a 115"er, it will die. I'm not waiting around anymore. ha, ha If I get lucky, find the right spot and something good walks by....then it does but for the time being, I'm not waiting for it.
- Dewey
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Re: I'm diving into public land hunting, but I need guidance
You said your main concern was getting in and setting up quietly. Right now is a great time to get out there and locate potential spots to hunt and then plan the quietest paths to access those spot depending on certain winds. Getting in and out quietly especially on pressured public land is a must. By scouting you can build up as many of these spots as possible and you will have a good head start for next season and then depending on the hunting pressure you can fine tune those spots later.
Like the others have said.....give yourself plenty of extra time so you are not rushed and silence every bit of equipment so you can be as quiet as possible. I like to get in and set up much earlier than the average person and normally I am set up at mid-day already unless it is really cold out and then I only sit the last three hours. That way I never feel rushed because that is when you will always make way too much noise.
If you are really serious about silencing your stand and sticks I definately recommend the adhesive Stealth Strips that Uncle Lou sells on this site. If you do a search you will find plenty of info on this and I think this is most definately required if you want to be as silent as possible. The first time I used my Assault and sticks it was almost immpossible to be quiet without the tape to silence metal to metal contact and I knew right away that something needed to be done.
Like the others have said.....give yourself plenty of extra time so you are not rushed and silence every bit of equipment so you can be as quiet as possible. I like to get in and set up much earlier than the average person and normally I am set up at mid-day already unless it is really cold out and then I only sit the last three hours. That way I never feel rushed because that is when you will always make way too much noise.
If you are really serious about silencing your stand and sticks I definately recommend the adhesive Stealth Strips that Uncle Lou sells on this site. If you do a search you will find plenty of info on this and I think this is most definately required if you want to be as silent as possible. The first time I used my Assault and sticks it was almost immpossible to be quiet without the tape to silence metal to metal contact and I knew right away that something needed to be done.
- Stuart
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Re: I'm diving into public land hunting, but I need guidance
Here is my stand, take a look:
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=2624
They are not hard to put on, just take your time and take off the hardward!
Thanks,
Stuart
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=2624
They are not hard to put on, just take your time and take off the hardward!
Thanks,
Stuart
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Re: I'm diving into public land hunting, but I need guidance
Nice rig Stuart. I've sent a PM to Lou to get some details. I'll be quieting down my LW sticks and Avenger here shortly.
- Edcyclopedia
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Re: I'm diving into public land hunting, but I need guidance
Stump wrote:Quite honestly, I'm not concerned with mature bucks really at this pt of the game. I would be kidding myself if it wasn't something that I did want to learn, but right now....I want to get on deer on public ground. If I can get over that hump, I'll then hone my skills more looking for that next challenge. Next yr, if I kill a doe or 2 and kill anything over the 110-120" range.....I'd be ecstatic. I've hunted waaay too many years waiting to kill "the one buck" for the wall. As a result, I've gone now my entire bow career without a bow buck which is now about 13 years. I'm giving myself a couple years with the bow and on public ground that if I see a 115"er, it will die. I'm not waiting around anymore. ha, ha If I get lucky, find the right spot and something good walks by....then it does but for the time being, I'm not waiting for it.
Stump - Sounds like we have a bit in common, probably many others too...???
I spent the first 8-9 years deer hunting with the notion that if I was in the woods I would kill a deer!
I spent the following 10 years killing many Doe's and basket bucks. A good friend of mine sort of "Mentored" me spending time educating me in the "art" of hunting. At this point I considered myself a pretty good deer hunter.
The latest segement, which is the last 3 years, is to grow into a mature buck hunter. I've passed on many deer waiting for Mr. Big and learned a bunch. The first year my goal was to kill a 100" Buck (I'm from NH, not Iowa ) and came darn close with a 96" that satisfied me to the fullest. Last year I put myself in position on 3-mature bucks and to temp my fate. I was lucky enough to get a crack at only 1 of these bucks and fouled up, but that's hunting... He was around 125-130" and @ 15-yards - the one that got away!
The picture is of me with this very buck I missed last year. It was killed this year by my older buddy . It is a great 10-pointer that dressed @ 196 lbs. and score close to 150". I found him 2-years ago through trail cam pics, so a bit of history goes with him... I was elated that my friend killed him verses someone I didn't know, a close second behind me killing him, but hey, that's hunting
This year was a strange one for me as I sold my business recently and have been without spar time.
This year I will be back on track with deer hunting that includes more / better scouting and share your same goals - good luck you are not alone!
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
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Re: I'm diving into public land hunting, but I need guidance
I do agree you need to kill some deer before you jump into the trophy buck arena. I don't think its likely I would ever recomend somebody pass a a shot at what would be there biggest buck ever. You can bet that I killed small bucks when I started my pusuit.
I still think if its your goal to shoot mature bucks somewhere down the road, your best option is to always hunt for them, but have goals and if an animal gives you an opertunity that is within your goals take it.
I still think if its your goal to shoot mature bucks somewhere down the road, your best option is to always hunt for them, but have goals and if an animal gives you an opertunity that is within your goals take it.
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Re: I'm diving into public land hunting, but I need guidance
dan wrote: I still think if its your goal to shoot mature bucks somewhere down the road, your best option is to always hunt for them, but have goals and if an animal gives you an opportunity that is within your goals take it.
There's no question that I'm going to be doing what I personally can do to put my position to kill a "mature" deer, but my main point is that I'm no longer going to wait around for it to happen. I've been there and done that for 13+/- yrs, it's getting old. ha, ha I need to graduate grade school, high school and college before I move onto grad school. LOL
- Swampthing
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Re: I'm diving into public land hunting, but I need guidance
We live a pretty fast paced life ,and one of the hardest things for me to do is slow down in the woods. I use to find myself cutting the time too close,for arrival at spot ,walking time to stand area, set-up . .I would figure the time too close and find myself always having too rush myself in my set-up and usually it would cost me.I had this happen to me this year I made a last minute stand choice and ending up not being as careful with my set-up do to time constaints.And halfway up the tree I busted out the Buck I was onto when I mishandled some equipment from being in a rush.
For all the work we put into finding these bucks we owe it to ourselves to get in there plenty early and really go into slow motion with the entire hunt.
For all the work we put into finding these bucks we owe it to ourselves to get in there plenty early and really go into slow motion with the entire hunt.
- BackWoodsHunter
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Re: I'm diving into public land hunting, but I need guidance
I'm with Stump and Ed. My main goal for this season is to figure out what a good buck bedding area looks like and come up with a handful of areas I know bucks are using for hunting in fall. This spring my goal is to scout 10-15 different DNR properties and get some sort of handle on deer movement patterns throughout them. One thing I use to aid in the silencing of my stand and sticks is bungees and base layers. I dress very light when going in and strap my fleece base layers and whatever cotton or fleece camo outer layers to my stand. By attaching the sticks with bungees they hold tight and any noisy areas of contact can be filled in with the soft quiet clothes. Good luck may every beast harvest a trophy (in their own perspective) in the fall of 2011
"The history of the bow and arrow is the history of mankind." Fred Bear
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