Where do I start?

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


pi9
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2016 12:20 pm
Status: Offline

Where do I start?

Unread postby pi9 » Tue Dec 11, 2018 6:49 pm

I have known about the hunting beast and Dan for a while now, watched a few hunts on youtube and what not.

But there is so much info here, where do I start reading/watching?

Also what can I apply to hunting in Florida?

I was born and raised in northern Wisconsin, unfortunately I am in FL now where the hunting is no where near as good but its all I got so I still do it.

I am struggling because all the public land where I hunt is way over pressured and mostly flat with no good funnels like I used to hunt in WI.

Also many areas as so thick they are impenetrable making hunting harder.


User avatar
Tufrthnails
500 Club
Posts: 3128
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 7:40 pm
Location: Knee deep in FL Muck!
Status: Offline

Re: Where do I start?

Unread postby Tufrthnails » Tue Dec 11, 2018 9:48 pm

Honestly you have to throw out what you think of as a funnel. There are still funnels here in FL. Deer take the path of least resistance so long as it provides cover. Those fingers of thick that connect big hammocks are great places to start especially if it has a short open area they have to cross generally they will have a heavy trail between them. If your hunting with a river oxbows are great places to find bedding. High spots surrounded by water will hold bedding as well. Also the reality of hunting public in FL is it ain't easy. It takes a lot of effort. But as you can see by PK, Eddie, and a few others that kill way more then I do in FL it can be done. One of the biggest things is the lack of open walk-in WMAs. The few there are get absolutely pounded. The rut is all over the place. Go to myfwc.com and check out the rut map it's a good start. The edges where the rut times meet up get kinda funky, but as a general rule it is a pretty good guide. Wind, thermals, and bedding still apply, but finding specific beds is a little tougher as you have seen how thick it is. I got a lot of benefit from learning how thermal react with open water, shaded water, and shallow water. Use transitions to scout generally they are fairly passable because they will have a game trail on them.

Scouting is best late season and after season in small game when the foliage is the thinnest. A lot of times if I find an area I really like while scouting I will clear my trail, but I try to be careful not to make the entrance to easy or you will have a lot of company very quickly. Use water to your advantage. Even a foot of water will keep a ton of hunters out of an area. Kayak, canoe, or jon boat can be a really nice tool to get away from the hoards. Me and my brother have a kayak trip coming up I am super excited about after a quick scout I did.

The quota system sucks, but take advantage of the reissue system. On sunday the list is opened and tues at 10am I think it closes and draw results are released wednesday. There are several different terrains and they all have different tactics that can be used. Learn the foliage. Things like wild perssimons and white oaks are great food sources to target.

I spend a ton of time in Green Swamp WMA which has 750 walk-in permits a day during gun season, because it is close to the house and I can hunt it when I'm off work. It is a serious struggle that I have a love/hate relationship with. I test a lot of tactics there. If I screw something up i'm not out much because the odds are so heavily stacked against me, but since I have started applying beast tactics my encounters have went through the roof.
Tuf- The below average hunting beast
Rich M
500 Club
Posts: 3980
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2016 1:29 pm
Location: Sunny Florida
Status: Offline

Re: Where do I start?

Unread postby Rich M » Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:04 am

Absolutely struggle with hunting FL. It seems easy for some guys.

Have gotten to the point where I only want to hunt select WMA quota hunts. Find a couple places near home that has limited quota and scout the cootie out of them.

Most years, if you can find dropping acorns you will find deer.
pi9
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2016 12:20 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Where do I start?

Unread postby pi9 » Wed Dec 12, 2018 6:42 pm

I am glad to hear I am not the only one struggling. I am just happy this year to be running into some deer, been seeing does consistently every hunt and a couple small bucks here and there but no good bucks.

Of course it seems like most hunters here are happy to shoot small bucks so not sure how many decent bucks are roaming around in the WMA I am hunting. Right now I have been hunting the camp blanding archery only WMA areas. Some days I see as many hunters or more hunters than deer.

I hear what you are saying about redefining my idea of what a funnel is, I have found a couple pinch points that have been producing deer sightings consistently but still no good bucks. I am thinking with all this pressure mature deer have probably moved off to a state forest next to the WMA where there is no hunting allowed.


Another major issue I am running into is swirling wind, seems like I cant get a steady wind to save my life, always swirling. Tonight it was supposed to be out of the NW, I don't think it ever blew out of the NW, I had NE, E, W, S, SW, SE, pretty much every way but NW and never the same for more than a few mins.
User avatar
greenhorndave
500 Club
Posts: 13819
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:23 am
Location: SE WI
Status: Offline

Re: Where do I start?

Unread postby greenhorndave » Thu Dec 13, 2018 6:23 am

Check out eddiegomes83 posts. He’s posted a number of times this year, including one in a thread where he described each one of his buck kills. And he’s had like 5 of them this year!

With those descriptions and the great info from nails, it should give a flavor of what to look for. Then it’s boots in the swamp to see what’s up.
----------
Sometimes when things get tough, weird or both, you just need to remember this...
https://youtu.be/d4tSE2w53ts


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Findian, Tim H and 65 guests