Why mobile hunting?

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Chuck B
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Why mobile hunting?

Unread postby Chuck B » Fri Nov 15, 2019 4:56 am

For some of the newer members, I thought I would share an example of why I have come to love mobile hunting. I'll try to keep it as short as possible without leaving out the key details (even though I could ramble on for 10,000 words on this subject).

Part 1
10 days ago I checked my trail cam (private land) and had a nice buck moving through a good intersection during daylight (along with a few others). They were obviously cruising for does as this transition was within 50 yards of a good chuck of doe bedding (thick stuff that we leave untouched and the does love it). After seeing the pics, I decided to set in a ladder stand that we have right in the area. I bought and set up this ladder stand before I even heard of the hunting beast. Those were the days were I had 5-7 pre set stands and just rotated through them. I haven't set up in a pre set stand once this year, NOT ONE TIME. But, this one was right where I needed to be so I decided to be lazy for the morning. Well, I sat there all morning and nothing until about 10:30 (which is the time that the cams were telling me these guys were moving through so I was on full alert). I heard some crunching behind me and I knew it was him, turned my head and yep it was him (about 40 yards away) coming straight down the trail that would have given me a 15 yard broadside shot..... Grabbed my bow and kill mode was on. One problem, I stood up (I had to stand as the shot was going to be to my right) and my stand made the an insanely loud creeeaaaaaak!! I froze, the buck froze, and he just stared in my direction for what seemed like an eternity. He couldn't pick me out however as I was hidden well somewhat behind the tree. I thought he would take off the way he came, but he decided to move forward. But, instead of going down the trail, he veered off to the right behind a bunch of small pines and brush. The way he was going I knew that if I stopped him he would give me one shot, about a 40-45 yard shot. I have NEVER taken a shot that long. I got him to stop, and I let one fly. Long story short, I hit him, but never recovered the arrow, and lost blood after 250 yards. Searched for two days. Nothing. I was sick about it. Two things I was most upset about; 1- If I would have not set in that ladder stand and sat in my Lone Wolf like I had all year, then I probably have a dead buck, and my biggest buck to date. And 2- I took a longer shot that I am not good enough of a shot for. Turns out I hit him, but I am not sure where. For some reason I never picked up on where I hit him when the arrow was on his way.

Part 2
I went back "up north" (where I hunt is about 2 hours north of where I live) to hopefully find a trail cam pic of the buck, or see him in the flesh again. Nothing on trail camera. I set up the lone wolf about 20 yards from "the ladder stand" that creaked which would give me excellent cover and closer to the bedding and action that I had been seeing out of the area. No shooter bucks came through, but saw a good amount of deer. The next morning, I stuck to the same area, as we are in rut and deer are flying around everywhere in this section. This time, I moved in even closer (about 30 yards) into the thick stuff. What happened? I had the buck that I missed a week earlier come about 15 yards from me! He was walking around with a doe. The unfortunate part is that I couldn't get a clean shot at him before he walked into my scent stream. And, after what happened earlier, I wasn't going to risk wounding this buck again, if I wasn't going to get a clean shot, I wasn't going to shoot. Here is the thing....if I would have stayed in the ladder stand each hunt, I would have progressively just saw fewer and fewer deer. But, by being mobile, and getting "closer and closer" to the action with my set up, I stayed on top of them. I wouldn't have even seen that buck the 2nd time if I hadn't gotten progressively closer as it was too thick to see in there. Get mobile and stay mobile and get close to the action.

Part 3
To be continued.....I had to head back home for work and family, will be back up there in 4 days. Hopefully Mr Buck is still in the area and I can finish the book.


Main morale of the story, it would have (probably) been a quick one chapter book if I would have not sat in the creaky ladder stand on the first (and most important) sit! And, I like short stories (picture stories are even better)!!


PS- to get ahead of the question, I did not know it was a creaky stand when I chose to sit there, haven't had that before with that stand. And, when I was hunting it that morning, I did have some creaks, but nothing major and it didn't creak every time I moved. If that was the case, I would have gotten out of the stand and hunted from the ground. I figured, "what are the odds".....well, Murphys law!


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<DK>
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Re: Why mobile hunting?

Unread postby <DK> » Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:34 am

Great post

I was going to make one similar but in regards to Ground Scent. I feel dirty or like im dirtying an area walking in to the same spot multiple times. Almost like pig pen on charlie brown walking around w a cloud. Even the same day - hunting in the morning, go home for lunch and come back. It may be alright for just that day but the ladder days to follow they will pick up on me. It is probably mostly all mental but I just feel my confidence lower every time I do it. I think this is the time of year you can get away with multiple sits in a spot but that doesnt mean I can drop my awareness. There is always the story of a guy who just hunted his spot all the time and eventually a giant walks by in the rut bc he hasnt been there to peg the hunter. I just cant hunt like that anymore. That just isnt going to happen consistently unless its just the best honey hole in the county.

Your ladder stand stories remind me of a spot on public I found. Its been there a long time, grown into the tree pretty well too. 20-40 yards down wind were multiple trails of doe/fawn tracks crossing the creek. 50-75 yards down wind the buck tracks started crossing the creek. Unless it is peak of the rut and wind in his face, I couldnt see how that hunter stood a chance. It was a very eye opening exp. I think how the deer react can vary based on property/pressure but it all relates back to staying mobile.

Iv actually had a mature doe lick a ladder stand steps with me in it. She didnt spook out but I never did see her or her fawns walk by that stand again. I see less impact on the deer movement when the stand is a pre set hang on with the steps removed at the base. Idk if it really makes a difference but at least they cant lick or smell that directly.

I wouldnt say a ladder stand cant work on a mature buck bc we all know that is not true. However, I have seen the negative effects more that the positive. There are certain times I wish I had a pre-set stand but I cannot deny the fact that staying mobile is the key to the "ambush". If I still used permanent stand I would adjust them every season. To me though, if I have to do the work both times of setting and removing, then ill stick to carrying my stand. If I used pre set hang ons then I would have many and thats just as much work as carrying one. Just spread out on different days. After handful of years scouting and hunting mobile, the weight doesnt really bother me anymore. Though, sometimes I wish I had some morning stands just to slip into.
Chuck B
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Re: Why mobile hunting?

Unread postby Chuck B » Fri Nov 15, 2019 6:33 am

<DK> wrote:Great post

I was going to make one similar but in regards to Ground Scent. I feel dirty or like im dirtying an area walking in to the same spot multiple times. Almost like pig pen on charlie brown walking around w a cloud. Even the same day - hunting in the morning, go home for lunch and come back. It may be alright for just that day but the ladder days to follow they will pick up on me. It is probably mostly all mental but I just feel my confidence lower every time I do it. I think this is the time of year you can get away with multiple sits in a spot but that doesnt mean I can drop my awareness. There is always the story of a guy who just hunted his spot all the time and eventually a giant walks by in the rut bc he hasnt been there to peg the hunter. I just cant hunt like that anymore. That just isnt going to happen consistently unless its just the best honey hole in the county.

Your ladder stand stories remind me of a spot on public I found. Its been there a long time, grown into the tree pretty well too. 20-40 yards down wind were multiple trails of doe/fawn tracks crossing the creek. 50-75 yards down wind the buck tracks started crossing the creek. Unless it is peak of the rut and wind in his face, I couldnt see how that hunter stood a chance. It was a very eye opening exp. I think how the deer react can vary based on property/pressure but it all relates back to staying mobile.

Iv actually had a mature doe lick a ladder stand steps with me in it. She didnt spook out but I never did see her or her fawns walk by that stand again. I see less impact on the deer movement when the stand is a pre set hang on with the steps removed at the base. Idk if it really makes a difference but at least they cant lick or smell that directly.

I wouldnt say a ladder stand cant work on a mature buck bc we all know that is not true. However, I have seen the negative effects more that the positive. There are certain times I wish I had a pre-set stand but I cannot deny the fact that staying mobile is the key to the "ambush". If I still used permanent stand I would adjust them every season. To me though, if I have to do the work both times of setting and removing, then ill stick to carrying my stand. If I used pre set hang ons then I would have many and thats just as much work as carrying one. Just spread out on different days. After handful of years scouting and hunting mobile, the weight doesnt really bother me anymore. Though, sometimes I wish I had some morning stands just to slip into.



Right on DK, thanks for adding to my post. I agree. I just didn't want my post to drag on too long so didn't add it. I hate going to the same spot/area. But, like you said, in the rut a guy can get away with it a lot more in terms of visiting the same spots. But, I've already decided that when I get back up there, I am going to head to a different area, gotta mix it up. And I don't think it is all mental, they know you are there. And they may not desert an area, but you can be sure they will stay away from the real "dirty" spots a bit. Which is why its important to be mobile and at least moving around a little bit to try to be one step ahead of them, even if that only means moving 30 yards in direction of their travel.

As you mentioned, it is just as much work to have a bunch of preset stands. Keeping them safe, brushing them out, etc. And, its more money to boot! I tell my non-beasty friends that one of the main reasons I have gone mobile is to save money. If I had a stand at every place I wanted to have a stand, I would need hundreds of stands! Now, off season time is spent on scouting and learning the land, instead of going around and checking my stands for safety, etc. And also, like you said, I don't like having the presets out there at all really any more. For all I know, a big buck is avoiding a certain area because he sees them. I would take down all of my ladder stands right now, but I am not going to because I have a 9 year old and 6 year old son that will be hunting soon and those will be good safe stands for them to start out on.

And this is just in regards to our private land. I do hunt public as well, and I don't see how I could be an efficient public land hunter with the correct gear without being mobile.
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Chuck B
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Re: Why mobile hunting?

Unread postby Chuck B » Fri Nov 15, 2019 6:41 am

Oh, and one more thing. If you have pre set stands on your property you are more likely to hunt in that spot even if the wind isn't exactly how you want it. AKA- the lazy route.

Try to resist the temptation people, don't be lazy like I was that morning! Get in the right tree with the right wind with a stand that you have 100% confidence in!
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<DK>
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Re: Why mobile hunting?

Unread postby <DK> » Fri Nov 15, 2019 10:08 am

Chuck B wrote:And this is just in regards to our private land. I do hunt public as well, and I don't see how I could be an efficient public land hunter with the correct gear without being mobile.


Haha, man youd be surprised how many are out there on public! Or how deep some will take one. Usually I see about 3/4 of a mile from parking is the max guys make it. Im sure they have a buddy w them to set it up that far in. Anything deeper I generally suspect they are private land guys coming over the line. I can walk into a great buck bedding area I know of to spot check and run into a new ladder stand setup. Probably 30 yards from the best bed I know. Its frustrating to see. The best placed stands I find are hang ons.

As far as private land, many times I see ladder stands in a honey hole spot or prime field edge location. I had one in particular I took down which was in a beautiful spot! Everything you dream of wanting to kill a buck out of. I hardly ever saw a deer sitting there. It was too close to bedding and they can skirt the stand out of sight. So I quit hunting spots I WANT to hunt the deer vs where im ABLE to kill it. I feel to do that consistently, staying mobile is the best answer. That spot is only huntable on 2 perfect winds and youd have to adjust 60 yards either way.

Chuck B wrote:Oh, and one more thing. If you have pre set stands on your property you are more likely to hunt in that spot even if the wind isn't exactly how you want it. AKA- the lazy route.


I agree
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treeroot
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Re: Why mobile hunting?

Unread postby treeroot » Fri Nov 15, 2019 2:08 pm

I also like the option of moving into the action if need be. I've been in that situation many times where I was off by 20 yards and I race over to the action for that last hour.
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Re: Why mobile hunting?

Unread postby 218er » Fri Nov 15, 2019 2:47 pm

Years ago I had 135 acre piece of private land that I hunted by simply rotating through the stands. Two ladder stands and two permanent two by four pounded to the tree sets ups. I was scouting in the spring and began to notice how the deer trails and sign shifted, ever so slightly 15-50 yards from these spots. Light bulb went off that day. I move the setups every year now 25-50 yards but I really supplement them by hunting mobile. I shot the biggest buck on this parcel in years three years ago sitting on a five gallon bucket under a balsam tree. I had the wind to my advantage and nobody had ever set up in that spot. The majority of my hunts these days to preset stands are in the am or with young hunters in tow. I felt really dumb a few years ago when I had a 1.5 year doe enter a food plot and just locked on to me. They absolutely had me figured out.
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Re: Why mobile hunting?

Unread postby KRoss480 » Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:56 am

Theres a 300 acre parcel of private land I have permission to hunt that is littered with feeders and ladder stands. I will bring my climber and set up on the edges of these areas, and it’s almost comical to watch the deer as the approach the feeders. The whole time they are coming in their eyes never leave the ladder stand. Most the times they have no idea I’m there due to them being so fixated on the ladder stands.
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