Pump The Brakes

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ScottSpitzley
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Pump The Brakes

Unread postby ScottSpitzley » Fri Apr 20, 2018 7:42 am

There is a variety of great information running around on this site, and most of us know that the new guys, even myself, gather an abundance of information and try to learn all of it in such a short amount of time and get overconfident.

As I have been putting every little bit of information I have learned from this site into the woods so far, I have noticed myself getting caught up in things I am forgetting to check when actually out there putting the knowledge to use.

For example. You start seeing topics about the thermal tunnel, bedding based on temperature, both hill country, and marsh bedding, cyber scouting etc. It gets you amped, right? It’s a lot of great valid information that gets us excited.

The reality of it, is we gather all the information, head into the woods with our brains packed full ready to burst and we tend to forget what we are even looking for, or we don’t focus on one particular thing because we get too excited about what we found next. You head out into the woods and say, “Oh look there’s a rub, there’s a scrape, here’s a bed with hairs in it!” Great spot, right? And as much as we know that what we learned from THE BEAST lead us to those spots…there is a lot more to take into perspective.

So, I am going to give you some little tips that I had thought of after being guilty of doing this on my own in the past.

1.Limit yourself as far as topics go. If you are heading out to scout an area, don’t have multiple things on your mind. Pick and choose. Try and prevent you going out in the woods looking like a chicken with your head cut off.

2.Take notes and bring them with you. Whether it may be OnX map markers that you pinned at home checking aerials or, notes you have written down reading the forum and be sure to continue to take them when out there.

3.Focus on the particular find! Why was that rub there? Why was there a rub 10 feet ahead of this one? Why is there another rub 20 feet ahead of that one? Oh, look a buck bed behind me 30 yards. Guess what? You’re onto something, but you're not done yet. Why was he bedded there? Is there a food source nearby? What wind direction was he bedded here on? etc. Don’t just take pictures and move on and mark them. Figure out why while you’re there if you can. One thing I was guilty of, was just going out there walking, finding these things but not taking them into consideration as to why they were there in the first place. There’s more than just taking pictures of rubs, scrapes, and beds etc.

I guess the moral of this post is telling both the new, and guys that aren’t even here yet, to pump the brakes a little, don’t get caught up in too much information. Get out there and put hours of boots on the ground and focus on a select few of information you gathered and put it to use one at a time. There is a lot more than just reading a bunch of topics and going out there thinking you know everything. I, myself was guilty of it too. You must remember that the guys on here didn’t get good from reading topics, they got good at diving into specific things at a time mainly from trial and error, learning from them, and putting them to use over the years making them successful, consistently and making these topics....topics.
Last edited by ScottSpitzley on Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:11 am, edited 1 time in total.


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Tim H
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby Tim H » Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:06 am

Great post Scott!

It's a great reminder to hear this type of info. We have to remember that as simple as these tactics are to read and understand in theory, in reality it's much more difficult and takes experience to get it down and apply them. On Dan's podcast this week he mentioned that it takes around 3 years for a guy to get this type of hunting down. I can definitely believe that. One thing to remember is think about the long game and not the short game. Today we are so used to instant this or that. It's important for new upcoming beasts to be patient and learn from their mistakes. Each scout is a lesson. Each hunt is a lesson. Build from each lesson and move forward.
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby ScottSpitzley » Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:16 am

NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:Great post Scott!

It's a great reminder to hear this type of info. We have to remember that as simple as these tactics are to read and understand in theory, in reality it's much more difficult and takes experience to get it down and apply them. On Dan's podcast this week he mentioned that it takes around 3 years for a guy to get this type of hunting down. I can definitely believe that. One thing to remember is think about the long game and not the short game. Today we are so used to instant this or that. It's important for new upcoming beasts to be patient and learn from their mistakes. Each scout is a lesson. Each hunt is a lesson. Build from each lesson and move forward.


:clap: :clap: Exactly.
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby Evanszach7 » Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:31 am

Good tips so far. One of the biggest gaps I see in newer mobile hunters/upcoming beasts are not establishing good access routes. The primary beds should be almost impossible to access without getting busted, at least they’ll require a very specific wind. Even when you’ve predetermined your access route, you should still be slowly scouting for hot sign and making decisions based on it. Way easier said than done when all conditions are right for a bed you found in February. Once you walk past hot sign to get to “the spot” there’s no going back. There’s no point in rushing to a stand to sit for 3 hours, when you could have spent an extra hour on access and upped your odds. Plenty of stories of guys on here taking bucks mid-hang to 30 minuets in to a sit because they nailed access.
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby Ack » Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:35 am

NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:Great post Scott!

It's a great reminder to hear this type of info. We have to remember that as simple as these tactics are to read and understand in theory, in reality it's much more difficult and takes experience to get it down and apply them. On Dan's podcast this week he mentioned that it takes around 3 years for a guy to get this type of hunting down. I can definitely believe that. One thing to remember is think about the long game and not the short game. Today we are so used to instant this or that. It's important for new upcoming beasts to be patient and learn from their mistakes. Each scout is a lesson. Each hunt is a lesson. Build from each lesson and move forward.


This is pretty accurate.....while the Beast certainly shortens the learning curve, it takes time (years) to apply and refine these tactics to your own specific area.

Concentrate on intimately learning a couple of areas before trying to stockpile a bunch of spots in one spring of scouting....once you notice trends in these couple spots, you can apply what you see and learn to new areas.
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby RDubs44 » Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:44 am

Ack is 100% right

"Concentrate on intimately learning a couple of areas before trying to stockpile a bunch of spots in one spring of scouting....once you notice trends in these couple spots, you can apply what you see and learn to new areas"

Dan mentioned this in a recent podcast. Learn a section of woods. Find all the bedding and hunt the buck down. If there is 20 primary bedding hunt each one of them until you kill the buck. Stacking!

As he says, no bucks deserve a free ride :twisted:
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby NYBackcountry » Fri Apr 20, 2018 9:26 am

Great post guys.

This is a critical topic for me right now. I was just about to head to a new parcel in the next few weeks but I think I'll hold off. I've found 3-5 medium to large public parcels I've scouted and I think I'll learn those better before I jump to a new spot.

Another thing I realized, I've always kept notes separate from my maps (in an excel file) but hate doing it. I recently decided to start adding notes to all of my uploaded GPS points. It feels less like homework and also seems to help me visualize the spot more. On top of that it's also really helped with access, im sort of picturing the spot from the boots on the ground but also seeing the satellite view as I add notes. From there I've simplified my external notes to just wind based information, when to hunt it, what the prevailing winds is etc.
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby tgreeno » Fri Apr 20, 2018 9:31 am

I for one can attest to the steep learning curve. The tactics & techniques on here are solid, but the follow thru and applications will take some time. Not every buck bed you find will have a buck in it. And even less will have a mature bucks in them.

For most of us...You will have to fail many times before you succeed. But remember, you only need to succeed once 8-)

Remember it's a marathon not a sprint!
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby dan » Fri Apr 20, 2018 9:40 am

Great post... One thing I can add is to a new guy all these tactics sound great, but anybody doing this for a few seasons can tell you some of the tactics are much more advanced than others. Im certainly guilty of making it look or sound easier than it is... A new guy might want to shy away from things like bumping beds, stacking, etc. and concentrate on simply finding the bedding and where to set up until they start seeing success doing that... Its not a bad idea to combine things that worked for you in the past and gradually blend more and more bed hunting into it...

Some guys, like Singing bridge went right out and killed great bucks on there 1st beast hunt, but thats not the norm. Even the best looking spots can come up dry.

Another thing to keep in mind is that this style of hunting is a lot of work, and a lot of thought going into both scouting and hunting. If A guy used to just go out and climb a tree this can be a little over whelming at 1st. Don't stress yourself out over it.
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Fri Apr 20, 2018 10:00 am

I think what confuses myself more than anything while trying better to understand bedding. Is when Dan is explaining a certain scenario which I'm sure he's relating to a specific situation, then when I run with it, it's actually a completely different case I just forced what he said in his scenario upon. Lots of factors and judgement calls come into play in my opinion.
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby tbunao » Fri Apr 20, 2018 10:10 am

Great post! I myself was guilty of over scouting and not fully focusing on really breaking down the area on year one, I did manage to be put one on the ground but not setting up over a specific bed. Year number 2 I came close to sealing the deal twice on 2 different target bucks, the reason of the failure? Not aggressive enough and poor setup. Year number 3 I again saw 2 target bucks but couldn’t get a shot, that reason?? I did not learn my lesson from the previous year. Came down to a blind sit to almost get it done.

SLOW IT DOWN!! Like you mentioned you see or read of a lot of people finding beds and ... well that’s it. It takes time (for me at least) to really break it down and put yourself in the best possible spot. Get yourself into CSI mode lol.

The other thing I see a lot of is regurgitated answers on questions, not everything is set in stone. Every situation is different. It’s possible that they are not bedded on the leeward side or traveling on that side. They will move on windward sides. If not they would all end in in the ocean.
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Fri Apr 20, 2018 10:31 am

tbunao wrote:Great post! I myself was guilty of over scouting and not fully focusing on really breaking down the area on year one, I did manage to be put one on the ground but not setting up over a specific bed. Year number 2 I came close to sealing the deal twice on 2 different target bucks, the reason of the failure? Not aggressive enough and poor setup. Year number 3 I again saw 2 target bucks but couldn’t get a shot, that reason?? I did not learn my lesson from the previous year. Came down to a blind sit to almost get it done.

SLOW IT DOWN!! Like you mentioned you see or read of a lot of people finding beds and ... well that’s it. It takes time (for me at least) to really break it down and put yourself in the best possible spot. Get yourself into CSI mode lol.

The other thing I see a lot of is regurgitated answers on questions, not everything is set in stone. Every situation is different. It’s possible that they are not bedded on the leeward side or traveling on that side. They will move on windward sides. If not they would all end in in the ocean.


I have heard this thing about ending up in the ocean my whole life and I just don't get it. Maybe it's my stupidity and forcing my eyes to see things I want to. But how does a buck bedding on the leeward side of a ridge, and using thermal and other deer to enter food in eve end up in the ocean? Again I could be dead wrong but in my areas a ridge has two sides to bed leeward as well as multiple other ridges in the area. What I normally see in my area is oval type movements. Again not saying your wrong every area is diff and I've never hunted anywhere else just never understood the whole ocean or California theory
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby tbunao » Fri Apr 20, 2018 11:18 am

Boogieman1 wrote:
tbunao wrote:Great post! I myself was guilty of over scouting and not fully focusing on really breaking down the area on year one, I did manage to be put one on the ground but not setting up over a specific bed. Year number 2 I came close to sealing the deal twice on 2 different target bucks, the reason of the failure? Not aggressive enough and poor setup. Year number 3 I again saw 2 target bucks but couldn’t get a shot, that reason?? I did not learn my lesson from the previous year. Came down to a blind sit to almost get it done.

SLOW IT DOWN!! Like you mentioned you see or read of a lot of people finding beds and ... well that’s it. It takes time (for me at least) to really break it down and put yourself in the best possible spot. Get yourself into CSI mode lol.

The other thing I see a lot of is regurgitated answers on questions, not everything is set in stone. Every situation is different. It’s possible that they are not bedded on the leeward side or traveling on that side. They will move on windward sides. If not they would all end in in the ocean.


I have heard this thing about ending up in the ocean my whole life and I just don't get it. Maybe it's my stupidity and forcing my eyes to see things I want to. But how does a buck bedding on the leeward side of a ridge, and using thermal and other deer to enter food in eve end up in the ocean? Again I could be dead wrong but in my areas a ridge has two sides to bed leeward as well as multiple other ridges in the area. What I normally see in my area is oval type movements. Again not saying your wrong every area is diff and I've never hunted anywhere else just never understood the whole ocean or California theory



It’s just a saying and not to be taken literally. If they only moved one way they would end up in the ocean or Canada
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby Tufrthnails » Fri Apr 20, 2018 11:39 am

Good post as a Junior in Hunting Beast High I can think back to my first season and even my first buck bed I found and be over the top excited I had it all figured out I was gonna be the next big buck serial killer!! In reality I have struggled greatly here in FL to kill bucks even after putting these new found tactics to work. And that is not from lack of opportunities. One of my biggest problems in my last two seasons in FL has been pushing the limit too far. Dan said if your not bumping bucks from time to time your not in the game. Well I can promise you I have been in the game too far into the game. Multiple times I have blown bucks out trying to get in too close. IE last season I did several observation sits and had a buck pinned to a certain bed on a NE wind. He was like clockwork. Well I went in for the kill and setup just out of his eyesight 55 yards from his bed. NOGO I'm setting my LW up and I see him stand up I think he's just stretching. Nope he walks off. I saw him three more times during season never to get a shot at him. But each time I have learned. And I think this next season is gonna be an awesome season as those mistakes are building a database of info and I'm finding myself not making the same mistakes even in post season scouting this year I was way more efficient with my time then my freshman year.
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Re: Pump The Brakes

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:04 pm

tbunao wrote:
Boogieman1 wrote:
tbunao wrote:Great post! I myself was guilty of over scouting and not fully focusing on really breaking down the area on year one, I did manage to be put one on the ground but not setting up over a specific bed. Year number 2 I came close to sealing the deal twice on 2 different target bucks, the reason of the failure? Not aggressive enough and poor setup. Year number 3 I again saw 2 target bucks but couldn’t get a shot, that reason?? I did not learn my lesson from the previous year. Came down to a blind sit to almost get it done.

SLOW IT DOWN!! Like you mentioned you see or read of a lot of people finding beds and ... well that’s it. It takes time (for me at least) to really break it down and put yourself in the best possible spot. Get yourself into CSI mode lol.

The other thing I see a lot of is regurgitated answers on questions, not everything is set in stone. Every situation is different. It’s possible that they are not bedded on the leeward side or traveling on that side. They will move on windward sides. If not they would all end in in the ocean.


I have heard this thing about ending up in the ocean my whole life and I just don't get it. Maybe it's my stupidity and forcing my eyes to see things I want to. But how does a buck bedding on the leeward side of a ridge, and using thermal and other deer to enter food in eve end up in the ocean? Again I could be dead wrong but in my areas a ridge has two sides to bed leeward as well as multiple other ridges in the area. What I normally see in my area is oval type movements. Again not saying your wrong every area is diff and I've never hunted anywhere else just never understood the whole ocean or California theory



It’s just a saying and not to be taken literally. If they only moved one way they would end up in the ocean or Canada

Lol 10/4 we don't pick up on that down here. Now if u said they would be dawning a sombrero sippin tequila .....
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
-John Wayne-


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