What is most important?

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Lockdown
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What is most important?

Unread postby Lockdown » Sun Oct 05, 2014 11:22 pm

With this being the first year I've hunted using Dan's tactics, I've got a LOT of learning to do. I'm wondering what you view as the most important aspects to beast style hunting. i.e... spring scouting, reading hot sign the day of the hunt, a quiet entrance/setup, shining, setting up as close as possible to the bedding area, hunting remote locations, finding the active food source in relation to bedding... what have YOU personally found to be the biggest keys to your success? I want to hear from everyone no matter how many beast style kills you've got...


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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby Country » Sun Oct 05, 2014 11:26 pm

I myself am pretty new to beast style hunting. I think all of the things you listed are important. From my experience so far, I would say also very important is be ready to make mistakes, yet learn from them.
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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby backstraps » Sun Oct 05, 2014 11:41 pm

I think for me personally, locating beds that have bucks using them frequently and being able to set up on them close enough for a daylight shot.

We are not allowed to shine in my hunting states, but really everything you have listed are pieces of the puzzle.

The importance of post season scouting is huge. Not just spring scouting, but once hunting season is over scouting and gathering intel is important. I have a couple friends that usually tag out early, and have went onto public and slow scouted. They have bumped bucks from their beds mid day, then go check the beds and mark them on gps, been a great tactic for them. Now before you think bad of them for doing this due to the land being public and they may be ruining chances for other, they do this in public woods that is basically unpressured, that's why they hunt these areas themselves. :)

The ability to go slow and try to be as stealthy as possible... your objective is to get as close to a buck bed as you can, so always keep that in mind. You have to PLAN your entry step by step. I always remind myself, I am in no footrace to get where I am going and get set up. Your gear has to be silent too, no need to put all the hard work and effort in locating a target, getting setup, only to have gear that is going to make a noise while you are moving etc.

Just a couple ideas that have helped me so much over my old practices before the BEAST
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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby dan » Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:04 am

Attitude and confidence. You have to believe in what your doing and keep going with a strong positive attitude thru the entire season.
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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby Stanley » Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:52 am

Understanding your capabilities and understanding it is not easy. Lot of guys see what Dan has accomplished and need to understand you won't get to that level in one year. Confidence is very important but do not get over confident. You will have failures and being overconfidence can lead to giving up. You may go for long periods of time where things don't go in your favor. Keep trying to improve instead of trying to excel right away. Listen to those that know more than you do, this is key. If you want to be a billionaire you have to hang out with billionaires (figure of speech).
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby PK_ » Mon Oct 06, 2014 4:13 am

Get dirty. Hunt as many beds as you can. Get in there and don't be paralyzed by fear of busting out deer. Best way to learn.
No Shortcuts. No Excuses. No Regrets.
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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby Thermals » Mon Oct 06, 2014 4:36 am

dan wrote:Attitude and confidence. You have to believe in what your doing and keep going with a strong positive attitude thru the entire season.


This goes Along ways for sure
I haven't had sucsess yet but I keep an open mind and learn from every hunt. Be stealthy to your stand and I promiss you will see more deer in genral and get the wind right.

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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby Crazinamatese » Mon Oct 06, 2014 5:04 am

I like Dan's comment. Confidence is everything.
The cave you fear hides the treasure you seek!!!
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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby Zap » Mon Oct 06, 2014 5:45 am

Safety is #1.
Enjoying what you are doing is #2.

Having a plan is #3.
Gaining knowledge to make a good plan is #4.

Having confidence in that plan comes after that.

Scouting more than you hunt is necessary if you hunt new/a lot of properties.
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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby Lockdown » Mon Oct 06, 2014 3:27 pm

Thanks for the input everyone. I've only had a few beast style hunts, so I've got a ways to go before I'm confident that I'm hunting the right beds at the right time. I know I'm headed down the right track, and I refuse to fail. Determination is no issue here! I noticed that I have learned something on each hunt so far.
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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby Lockdown » Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:10 pm

Bump

Did a random search and came across this from when I first joined. ;)

Lots of new guys on the forum that should keep all of this in mind!! Great advice from everyone.

Like others said confidence is huge. I now know to stay in attack mode... "knowing" your buck is there. If nothing shows, think "you got lucky this time" and get after him again the next hunt. You'll have plenty of set backs but don't dwell on them. Keep in mind you're not hunting travel corridors and food edges so your deer sightings will likely go down. Substantially for some. Last year Hunter Mike had something like 8 consecutive hunts without seeing a deer, then he killed. All it takes is one. My rut was going terrible last year, then out of nowhere, target buck down :dance:

Another big thing is patience. I was on a killing spree when I joined and I thought Beast tactics were going to get me on a couple monsters a year. They didn't. I was doing lots of things wrong but had no idea at the time. I can guarantee I'll do things wrong this year too. Just pay your dues. Be patient and realize that each and every hunt is a puzzle piece whether you see something or not. Just keep stock piling knowledge...
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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby Lockdown » Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:16 pm

And when it comes to confidence, DO NOT sit on stand and think-

"I wonder if I picked the right time to hunt this? I didn't see any sign on the way in... I think I scewed up!"

"Maybe I should have picked that tree over there."

"I wish I wouldn't have chickened out. I should have pushed closer to bedding."

"I hope I'm not screwing this up by hunting this bed in these warm temps"

YOU GET THE IDEA

Make your decision and roll with it. Don't clog your mind with doubt.
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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby tgreeno » Fri Aug 25, 2017 4:04 pm

This is a great bump! It's gotta be cool looking back? Did you end up getting a bed kill that year?

Hopefully in a couple years I can look back and see how far I've progressed :?
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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby Wannabelikedan » Fri Aug 25, 2017 4:29 pm

Lockdown wrote:Bump

Did a random search and came across this from when I first joined. ;)

Lots of new guys on the forum that should keep all of this in mind!! Great advice from everyone.

Like others said confidence is huge. I now know to stay in attack mode... "knowing" your buck is there. If nothing shows, think "you got lucky this time" and get after him again the next hunt. You'll have plenty of set backs but don't dwell on them. Keep in mind you're not hunting travel corridors and food edges so your deer sightings will likely go down. Substantially for some. Last year Hunter Mike had something like 8 consecutive hunts without seeing a deer, then he killed. All it takes is one. My rut was going terrible last year, then out of nowhere, target buck down :dance:

Another big thing is patience. I was on a killing spree when I joined and I thought Beast tactics were going to get me on a couple monsters a year. They didn't. I was doing lots of things wrong but had no idea at the time. I can guarantee I'll do things wrong this year too. Just pay your dues. Be patient and realize that each and every hunt is a puzzle piece whether you see something or not. Just keep stock piling knowledge...


I feel like this can't be emphasized enough to all the new guys including myself. Having been a private land hunter all my life, I'm just as, or more, green to public land and these tactics as the next guy. I may be reading some of the newer folks wrong (and I hope this doesn't get taken the wrong way), but it seems a lot are either in a rat race for success or they're asking for a pill that only treats the symptoms but doesn't cure the illness. I know many probably truly don't understand some of the stuff they're inquiring about but I feel some are asking for a cut/dry quick fix. And again, I'm not here to harp on anyone about asking anything or wish to discourage them from asking what they may or may not know(that's why we are all here). More or less it was just something I felt needed pointing out and found my point of entry (thanks lockdown). But back to my point, this style/knowledge of hunting is a long haul and I know I'm never gonna know it all or be the best at all of it. Heck dan mentions he's still learning stuff in some of his podcasts. And like him and many other vets, they paid their dues. That equals lots of boot work/scouting, thinking/homework/cyberscouting, and getting it wrong repeatedly til you're dragging a toad back to the truck. Don't be afraid to use the "SEARCH" bar. There's more than enough info here so don't get overwhelmed and don't be afraid that you're "not doing it right". It's all part of this madness that we love partaking in. And one last time, there's nothing wrong with a little help when you're struggling, but the reward of knowing you did the BULK of the work to reach success is immeasurable. $0.02 cashed in
Teaching is only demonstrating that it is possible.... Learning is making it possible for yourself.
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Re: What is most important?

Unread postby Lockdown » Fri Aug 25, 2017 4:43 pm

tgreeno wrote:This is a great bump! It's gotta be cool looking back? Did you end up getting a bed kill that year?

Hopefully in a couple years I can look back and see how far I've progressed :?


That was the only year in my life that I didn't tag a whitetail. :D Learning curve!

Year 2 I killed a decent 10 using a spin off of JoeRE's approach to natural ground blinds

Last year I killed my #1 target buck and biggest of my life


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