The "red zone"...

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Ack
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Re: The "red zone"...

Unread postby Ack » Wed Aug 23, 2017 6:24 pm

Some solid info from Dan and others in this thread!


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Boogieman1
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Re: The "red zone"...

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Wed Aug 23, 2017 7:27 pm

The red zone problem plaqued me for years got so bad I would have a situation that would be perfect and I would have a failure to launch syndrome. Once I got my confidence up and realized the importance of thoroughly scouting my success improved, from there I learned how few chances u get with a brute inside each season. So I started doing what I call stacking the deck. On properties I have permission to manipulate I give the animal no choice but to provide me with a good shot and pass through in my effective range. This might include choking down trails, temp raising fences, lowering fences, downing trees etc. also a lot of times after holidays pick up all the thrown away Christmas trees and take a post hole diggers and put one right b4 my shot lane. When his head goes behind it gives me a easy draw. All this should be done way b4 the season.. Is all this necessary? Prob not but it gets my confidence up to a place where I know if he comes through he is mine. This is just what works for me but recommend if someone is constantly struggling u try something different and not wait around for a miracle.
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Re: The "red zone"...

Unread postby Jdw » Mon Jul 08, 2019 11:45 am

Lots of good stuff here.
I can relate to most of it. I am improving in the red zone but there is plenty of room for more improvement.
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Re: The "red zone"...

Unread postby cspot » Mon Jul 08, 2019 1:32 pm

Boogieman1 wrote:The red zone problem plaqued me for years got so bad I would have a situation that would be perfect and I would have a failure to launch syndrome. Once I got my confidence up and realized the importance of thoroughly scouting my success improved, from there I learned how few chances u get with a brute inside each season. So I started doing what I call stacking the deck. On properties I have permission to manipulate I give the animal no choice but to provide me with a good shot and pass through in my effective range. This might include choking down trails, temp raising fences, lowering fences, downing trees etc. also a lot of times after holidays pick up all the thrown away Christmas trees and take a post hole diggers and put one right b4 my shot lane. When his head goes behind it gives me a easy draw. All this should be done way b4 the season.. Is all this necessary? Prob not but it gets my confidence up to a place where I know if he comes through he is mine. This is just what works for me but recommend if someone is constantly struggling u try something different and not wait around for a miracle.



I have manipulated deer movement alot also. One of my better ones was a blind that was along the edge of a food plot. The deer would always come out of the corner and feed directly at the blind often getting very close before turning broadside. By getting very close they would sometimes catch a whiff of us. I solved this problem by parking a drag disc along that edge at about 20 yards. This made them feed towards the blind until about 25 yards away then they would turn broadside as they were avoiding the disc. The disc was low enough that shooting over it wasn't an issue.
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Re: The "red zone"...

Unread postby Dewey » Tue Aug 27, 2019 11:20 am

Bump
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mag1
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Re: The "red zone"...

Unread postby mag1 » Tue Aug 27, 2019 10:30 pm

dan wrote:
DropTyne wrote:I do not have a "red zone" problem whatsoever, my last two seasons have been plagued with cat and mouse games, what I mean by this is I see a target using a specific area, make my move and wind up with a 45 or 50 yard shot which I refuse to take, then I slip out, move in closer the next sit and the target buck comes out at a different location. I have had this multiple times over the past two seasons. I will openly admit that at times I have my heart set on just a few targets, so much so that I am passing shots at 120 and this year two 130 class bucks holding out for the top tier of the bucks in my hunting areas, and I AM getting close to them, just not close enough. When I have created opportunities in the past on these big boys I have closed the deal, so the red zone is not my concern, I play the wind, I am quiet with my lone wolf set up. I am concerned maybe my standards are too high, maybe need to scout more, or maybe I need to start dumping some of the bucks that are giving me opportunities, but on the other hand I feel that I am more than capable of scoring on these big boys, I have done it before and I can do it again.

Why is it? Why when you think you have it all figured out does the buck your after switch it up? Why always just out of range?

[ Post made via iPad ] Image

I think you might have more of a red zone issue than you realize... When a 4 - 5 year old comes out in one of my set ups, its usually right where I expect it. I think thats cause where you move to on day two, is where I go to on day one...
Most guys in my opinion are to conservative and set up to far back. My set ups are usually pretty close to the buck and where he stages every time he uses a certain bedding area... Before the trails split.



This has me wondering about a spot I just scouted. It’s a small piece, there is another guy in there with 2 cameras and a stand. I found good bedding right at the transition from red brush/ tags a couple smaller rubs from last year, only trees available. I have 2 options, a small 4” tree that is tucked into the brush that I can get in about 5’ up, bedding is 35-50 yds away, with trails winding by, and another tree about 100 yds away on the way to food. It is in a spot I don’t think anyone wanders by as it is overlooked for the most part, this 2 nd tree would give a good observation sit. Due to lack of available time, are you pretty much saying go for broke? Try and sneak into the small tree nestled up against the bedding? On the right wind day, I believe it would be possible..
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Re: The "red zone"...

Unread postby mheichelbech » Wed Aug 28, 2019 2:04 am

DropTyne wrote:I do not have a "red zone" problem whatsoever, my last two seasons have been plagued with cat and mouse games, what I mean by this is I see a target using a specific area, make my move and wind up with a 45 or 50 yard shot which I refuse to take, then I slip out, move in closer the next sit and the target buck comes out at a different location. I have had this multiple times over the past two seasons. I will openly admit that at times I have my heart set on just a few targets, so much so that I am passing shots at 120 and this year two 130 class bucks holding out for the top tier of the bucks in my hunting areas, and I AM getting close to them, just not close enough. When I have created opportunities in the past on these big boys I have closed the deal, so the red zone is not my concern, I play the wind, I am quiet with my lone wolf set up. I am concerned maybe my standards are too high, maybe need to scout more, or maybe I need to start dumping some of the bucks that are giving me opportunities, but on the other hand I feel that I am more than capable of scoring on these big boys, I have done it before and I can do it again.

Why is it? Why when you think you have it all figured out does the buck your after switch it up? Why always just out of range?

[ Post made via iPad ] Image

This is me to a T! I am happy with my standards being really high but it seems like more often than not, the one I want had a knack for coming through just out of range for a bow or through something just a little to thick to shoot through at a distance. Crossbow or gun I’d be bankrupt with mounted heads but regular bow keeps me green unfortunately.
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
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Re: The "red zone"...

Unread postby jjc1974us » Thu Aug 29, 2019 12:37 am

My problem in the red zone, is that sometimes I am not patient enough. I take the first available shot I get, which often results in a quartering to angle. Iv'e not yet had this bite me, however, playing them back in my mind, if I were patient, I would probably get more broadside shots presented. When I was younger, I had too many good bucks bugger out by catching my wind in the red zone, so now I take the first opportunity I have presented.

Where I think the solution lies, is to be better in my setup in picking the right tree to where I won't get busted downwind from the expected travel. Sometimes, I just cut the line real close.


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