The school of public land hunting...

[dan]

Some of you have talked about sealing the deal. That is my issue. This is what I see in the guys who are consistently successful on public land. They find a way to kill that deer. In the last few years I have averaged 2 shot opportunities per season on shooter bucks and this year I finally killed a decent one, albeit with my rifle. It seems like its always a branch or something that comes up but the bottom line is I don't have making the shot down pat yet.

I shot two good bucks last season and each had challenges to the shot. But, if you don't shoot, you come home empty handed. The 1st one is the show airing right now (windy whitetail) I had a six foot shooting hole and a fast walking deer I never saw till it hit the window. I had to decide shoot or don't, and get the buck stopped and shoot all in a couple seconds or watch him walk off... The second buck came in from a call so he came in from an unexpected angle and brush was in my way, I was silhouetted against the sky with no cover and new I would get busted quick, so I drew early and took the 1st shot. I actually created the shot by slowly bending at the knees till a shot window opened with me in a crouched position...

Big bucks survive by picking up on danger... They do not6 hang around long. You need to shoot as soon as you have a good shot or create a good shot. I have gotten good enough at this that a shooter buck rarely gets within 40 yards of me without leaving with an arrow in it. That comes with time, but you need to almost have a slight panic that the buck is going to bust at any second and you have to get an arrow in him.

[woods89]

Thanks Dan! I'm gonna keep at it. That's what I need is that push be creative and make it happen. I can see progress so that encourages me a lot.
I would love to have the opportunity to shoot a few does each year for the freezer but honestly I don't get a lot of bow opportunities at them. For some reason I can get a shot at a decent buck or two a year but hardly ever do I get does close and in range. This sounds weird but I could use some help learning to hunt does!
I would like to complement you on this site. I'm on some other forums but this one intimidates me the least when it comes to posting because I know I can get courteous and effective advice. This site and the Mapping Trophy Whitetails book have taught me in a year what probably would have taken me 10 years to learn on my own.

[Spartan]

Recently found the site, doing lots of reading. Thanks to all who've contributed the great material.

I'm chasing that type of buck that tolerates people and holds sanctuary amid tight traffic: off-leash dog walking, mountain bikes, etc. The daylight beds I've found are 100-200' overlooks of foot paths with a 100yd back door to private land and a barking dog chained up ~350 yards away. Naturally he's mostly nocturnal and a virtual phantom. Its a tight area for a bow kill. With his private land approach and select winds I can really only hunt right over his bed by getting there first? I can't gather where he ventures much on the rest of the tract, most often walking back out his in-door.

Probably not a beast by most accounts but he'll be 4.5 this year and that's rarer than hen's teeth around here and my best prospect for next season. I suspect the area is a fall-back position that he gets pressured into later in the year. I'm completely mobile. I did hunt this spot 5 times last year from 2 trees (and saw people inside 50 during 3 of those, not hunters) – I understand this number is far too high by many accounts – but there is so much human scent around? And yet he stays. Or am I just telling myself what I want to hear so I can hunt him more often?

In my life I've come across a few of these bucks that always keep one eye on people. The success I've had with them has mostly been luck involving unplanned drivers. Any tips or suggestions that might tilt the scale even a little? thanks

[dan]

Recently found the site, doing lots of reading. Thanks to all who've contributed the great material.

I'm chasing that type of buck that tolerates people and holds sanctuary amid tight traffic: off-leash dog walking, mountain bikes, etc. The daylight beds I've found are 100-200' overlooks of foot paths with a 100yd back door to private land and a barking dog chained up ~350 yards away. Naturally he's mostly nocturnal and a virtual phantom. Its a tight area for a bow kill. With his private land approach and select winds I can really only hunt right over his bed by getting there first? I can't gather where he ventures much on the rest of the tract, most often walking back out his in-door.

Probably not a beast by most accounts but he'll be 4.5 this year and that's rarer than hen's teeth around here and my best prospect for next season. I suspect the area is a fall-back position that he gets pressured into later in the year. I'm completely mobile. I did hunt this spot 5 times last year from 2 trees (and saw people inside 50 during 3 of those, not hunters) – I understand this number is far too high by many accounts – but there is so much human scent around? And yet he stays. Or am I just telling myself what I want to hear so I can hunt him more often?

In my life I've come across a few of these bucks that always keep one eye on people. The success I've had with them has mostly been luck involving unplanned drivers. Any tips or suggestions that might tilt the scale even a little? thanks

My tip would be not to hunt right over the bed but rather where he jay hooks to the bed at the bottom of the elevation in the morning.

[sunset samurai]

Agreed Spy great post, I also came up basically learning it from scratch, fortunate enough to have some family land to learn on I started as a child walking over a half mile with a hvy old climber and a flashlight to "play" deer hunter. After a family freind heard this is how I was spending my Saturday mornings instead of watching cartoons he took me under his wing and let me shoot a doe, for which I owe him greatly! Its been an insane rollercoaster of learning since then but I wouldnt want it any other way. Some people have laughed upon hearing me talk about loosing it n crying like a baby alone in my tree after sending an arrow through a targeted bucks pumphouse, but everytime that happens I revert back to being that clueless little kid whose determination far outweighs his skill. You are correct if you want it bad enough you will find a way. Nature is a like a book and if you learn how to read it, it will tell you everything you need to know.

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[Spartan]

My tip would be not to hunt right over the bed but rather where he jay hooks to the bed at the bottom of the elevation in the morning.

Thanks Dan. I scouted it yesterday with most of the snow off and that gives me some new ideas… and challenges. The recent thread on ground hunting will help. Mostly concerned that this puts me in view of a couple houses across the road – but I can't do what I've always done and expect better results. I'll have to go back with a range finder and make sure the houses are 450' away from what I have in mind.

[BassBoysLLP]

Ttt

[ Post made via Android ]

[rizzo999]

Bass thanks for bumping this thread. It has been one of my favorites to read back thru.

[rizzo999]

[H2archer]

Some of you have talked about sealing the deal. That is my issue. This is what I see in the guys who are consistently successful on public land. They find a way to kill that deer. In the last few years I have averaged 2 shot opportunities per season on shooter bucks and this year I finally killed a decent one, albeit with my rifle. It seems like its always a branch or something that comes up but the bottom line is I don't have making the shot down pat yet.

I shot two good bucks last season and each had challenges to the shot. But, if you don't shoot, you come home empty handed. The 1st one is the show airing right now (windy whitetail) I had a six foot shooting hole and a fast walking deer I never saw till it hit the window. I had to decide shoot or don't, and get the buck stopped and shoot all in a couple seconds or watch him walk off... The second buck came in from a call so he came in from an unexpected angle and brush was in my way, I was silhouetted against the sky with no cover and new I would get busted quick, so I drew early and took the 1st shot. I actually created the shot by slowly bending at the knees till a shot window opened with me in a crouched position...

Big bucks survive by picking up on danger... They do not6 hang around long. You need to shoot as soon as you have a good shot or create a good shot. I have gotten good enough at this that a shooter buck rarely gets within 40 yards of me without leaving with an arrow in it. That comes with time, but you need to almost have a slight panic that the buck is going to bust at any second and you have to get an arrow in him.

Great post. I struggle with this myself.. I've had 2 decent bucks in bow range since I started to get serious about hunting. both of them I was too nervous to send an arrow. one was 15 yards behind some brush but there was a small hole I could have, but didn't, send an arrow through. the other was 26 yards and literally had one skinny tree limb running dead center the length of his body and he stood there for what seemed like 5 minutes before disappearing into the brush. I was terrified I'd hit that limb and end up with a gut shot and never find him. I routinely shoot out to 80 yards and consider myself a pretty decent shot but the nerves get the best of me.

last season I didn't really start hunting Beast style but I did get a little more aggressive after doing some reading on here and had over a dozen small 1.5 year old bucks and many does in easy shot situations (I considered this a victory since I was seeing more deer on public than my friends were on their private) but I wanted to pass and wait for bigger. After listening to the podcast with Whitetailassassin today and hearing him talk about working your way up to bigger bucks, I think I need to shoot a few of those ones that are smaller younger deer but still get my heart beating out of my chest so that when I get some more experience and maybe an opportunity at a good buck I have the confidence to let the arrow fly.

[flinginairos]

Some of you have talked about sealing the deal. That is my issue. This is what I see in the guys who are consistently successful on public land. They find a way to kill that deer. In the last few years I have averaged 2 shot opportunities per season on shooter bucks and this year I finally killed a decent one, albeit with my rifle. It seems like its always a branch or something that comes up but the bottom line is I don't have making the shot down pat yet.

I shot two good bucks last season and each had challenges to the shot. But, if you don't shoot, you come home empty handed. The 1st one is the show airing right now (windy whitetail) I had a six foot shooting hole and a fast walking deer I never saw till it hit the window. I had to decide shoot or don't, and get the buck stopped and shoot all in a couple seconds or watch him walk off... The second buck came in from a call so he came in from an unexpected angle and brush was in my way, I was silhouetted against the sky with no cover and new I would get busted quick, so I drew early and took the 1st shot. I actually created the shot by slowly bending at the knees till a shot window opened with me in a crouched position...

Big bucks survive by picking up on danger... They do not6 hang around long. You need to shoot as soon as you have a good shot or create a good shot. I have gotten good enough at this that a shooter buck rarely gets within 40 yards of me without leaving with an arrow in it. That comes with time, but you need to almost have a slight panic that the buck is going to bust at any second and you have to get an arrow in him.

Great post. I struggle with this myself.. I've had 2 decent bucks in bow range since I started to get serious about hunting. both of them I was too nervous to send an arrow. one was 15 yards behind some brush but there was a small hole I could have, but didn't, send an arrow through. the other was 26 yards and literally had one skinny tree limb running dead center the length of his body and he stood there for what seemed like 5 minutes before disappearing into the brush. I was terrified I'd hit that limb and end up with a gut shot and never find him. I routinely shoot out to 80 yards and consider myself a pretty decent shot but the nerves get the best of me.

last season I didn't really start hunting Beast style but I did get a little more aggressive after doing some reading on here and had over a dozen small 1.5 year old bucks and many does in easy shot situations (I considered this a victory since I was seeing more deer on public than my friends were on their private) but I wanted to pass and wait for bigger. After listening to the podcast with Whitetailassassin today and hearing him talk about working your way up to bigger bucks, I think I need to shoot a few of those ones that are smaller younger deer but still get my heart beating out of my chest so that when I get some more experience and maybe an opportunity at a good buck I have the confidence to let the arrow fly.

This is very, very important IMO. You need to be comfortable taking the shot and the only way to gain that confidence is just stacking up the deer for a while. I killed my first deer with a bow when I was 17 and wasn't overly picky on a buck until my mid 20's. I killed a LOT of deer in that time period and I am at the point now I can hold myself together and make good shots on bigger bucks. Killing big bucks is hard enough and if your nerves make you fall to pieces when the time comes to shoot it makes it that much harder. No shame in working your way up and it's fun not stressing over the size of the rack!

[dan]

This is very, very important IMO. You need to be comfortable taking the shot and the only way to gain that confidence is just stacking up the deer for a while. I killed my first deer with a bow when I was 17 and wasn't overly picky on a buck until my mid 20's. I killed a LOT of deer in that time period and I am at the point now I can hold myself together and make good shots on bigger bucks. Killing big bucks is hard enough and if your nerves make you fall to pieces when the time comes to shoot it makes it that much harder. No shame in working your way up and it's fun not stressing over the size of the rack!

true!
i know guys that have only shot one or two deer in there lives with a bow and they hold out for giants. When the big boy shows up they almost always fail because they have not yet learned how, when, and all the details about shooting deer with a bow. The time to learn is not when the buck of a lifetime walks in..

[H2archer]

[/quote]

This is very, very important IMO. You need to be comfortable taking the shot and the only way to gain that confidence is just stacking up the deer for a while. I killed my first deer with a bow when I was 17 and wasn't overly picky on a buck until my mid 20's. I killed a LOT of deer in that time period and I am at the point now I can hold myself together and make good shots on bigger bucks. Killing big bucks is hard enough and if your nerves make you fall to pieces when the time comes to shoot it makes it that much harder. No shame in working your way up and it's fun not stressing over the size of the rack! [/quote]

well said. I have shot many doe with my bow but never a buck. I also usually wait until late season to shoot does for fear of screwing up my areas. I think I need to start shooting my does early season as well as taking a buck that makes ME happy and not anyone else. I think getting a couple of does under my belt early season will help boost my confidence when I get a buck in range.

[tgreeno]

When I first started bow hunting we shot any buck. I filled my tags every year with small to medium bucks & doe's, and was proud as could be, to have them. I learned how to be an effective/efficient killer. A talent I've been refining for 40 years.

Take a buck you are happy with! That's all that really matters!

[H2archer]

When I first started bow hunting we shot any buck. I filled my tags every year with small to medium bucks & doe's, and was proud as could be, to have them. I learned how to be an effective/efficient killer. A talent I've been refining for 40 years.

Take a buck you are happy with! That's all that really matters!

Agreed. It's all part of the progression I think. I started out trying to learn on my own then met a couple of guys that are hunters. they both own 20 and 30 acres and both have a 150+ on the wall. both have the same stands in the same places for the last 10 years so I guess I just always thought that's how it worked, sit in a stand long enough and a big one will walk by eventually. since I started hunting public i've learned that there's a of a lot more work that goes into it than that and that there was a bit of luck involved in those 150's