How do you have so many spots?

[milkweed-militia]

I watched the latest Hunting Beast youtube video last night about the new beast sticks and Dan said, "I've hunted every day since season opened and I haven't sat in the same tree twice."

This has me wondering how many of you guys do this and how exactly do you accomplish it? I hunt a mixture of private land and public land and even with being able to hunt mostly weekends, I'll likely be in the same spot more than once. I hope Dan breaks it down a bit, but I'd like to hear how some of you other guys hunt too.

The public areas that are close to home are anywhere from 20 minutes to a 45 minute drive. The ones passed that would probably warrant an overnight stay. With young kids and limited vacation, this probably won't be happening for the next few years. The majority of the public areas that I hunt are lakes bordered by public land and the land isn't really too deep in any certain area. Even though some of the WMA's are 20,000 acres, the vast majority of it is not accessible. I am looking at kayak access in the future, which will help some but these lakes run for miles and still the majority of it will not be accessible.

Do you guys have a lot of properties close to home, big unbroken chunks of public, etc.?

[DaveT1963]

Can't speak for Dan but I would assume Time and Hard Work. I have 100s of trees I could hunt on any given day, and I scout out more new areas every single season. You don't do this for 40 years and not have a lot of options - unless you get trapped into that stage where you hunt the same tree over and over and over.....

3 years ago - I spent 48 of the 52 weekends in a year scouting or hunting - that was my most dedicated season, this year I spent probably 10 weekends scouting and so far 2 of 2 weekends hunting - I have yet to sit in a tree I have ever hunted before this year and only twice last year.

[milkweed-militia]

Can't speak for Dan but I would assume Time and Hard Work. I have 100s of trees I could hunt on any given day, and I scout out more new areas every single season. You don't do this for 40 years and not have a lot of options - unless you get trapped into that stage where you hunt the same tree over and over and over.....

3 years ago - I spent 48 of the 52 weekends in a year scouting or hunting - that was my most dedicated season, this year I spent probably 10 weekends scouting and so far 2 of 2 weekends hunting - I have yet to sit in a tree I have ever hunted before this year and only twice last year.

That is impressive stuff. What about your drive times to most properties that you hunt? Are they a pretty good drive from home or fairly close?

During the public land challenge, Dan and Joe were driving 3 hours one way every day to hunt that particular spot. I know that Dan works like everyone else, and that fact maybe peeked my curiosity more than anything. Obviously he couldn't do that same kind of hunt on a daily basis and also work. By the time that I get home from work, I can get out at my house and hunt but it would be dark if I tried anywhere else. I'm wondering about people's work schedules as well. I certainly see that putting in the time scouting gains new locations, but you can only get to so many spots from the time you leave work before dark.

I know that a lot of state's public lands set up differently than my area. I see some similar to here, but I see some that have huge chunks of unbroken land as well.

This thread is certainly not meant to be a dig on Dan or anyone else. I've learned more from reading this site for a month than I ever have from anything I've seen on the outdoor channel. I've got great respect for Dan and what he does. Maybe the title should've been, "How do you get to so many spots with limited time?"

[DaveT1963]

Can't speak for Dan but I would assume Time and Hard Work. I have 100s of trees I could hunt on any given day, and I scout out more new areas every single season. You don't do this for 40 years and not have a lot of options - unless you get trapped into that stage where you hunt the same tree over and over and over.....

3 years ago - I spent 48 of the 52 weekends in a year scouting or hunting - that was my most dedicated season, this year I spent probably 10 weekends scouting and so far 2 of 2 weekends hunting - I have yet to sit in a tree I have ever hunted before this year and only twice last year.

That is impressive stuff. What about your drive times to most properties that you hunt? Are they a pretty good drive from home or fairly close?
During the public land challenge, Dan and Joe were driving 3 hours one way every day to hunt that particular spot. I know that Dan works like everyone else, and that fact maybe peeked my curiosity more than anything. Obviously he couldn't do that same kind of hunt on a daily basis and also work. By the time that I get home from work, I can get out at my house and hunt but it would be dark if I tried anywhere else. I'm wondering about people's work schedules as well. I certainly see that putting in the time scouting gains new locations, but you can only get to so many spots from the time you leave work before dark.

I know that a lot of state's public lands set up differently than my area. I see some similar to here, but I see some that have huge chunks of unbroken land as well.

This thread is certainly not meant to be a dig on Dan or anyone else. I've learned more from reading this site for a month than I ever have from anything I've seen on the outdoor channel. I've got great respect for Dan and what he does. Maybe the title should've been, "How do you get to so many spots with limited time?"

The closest public land is 50 minutes, and most are 2 hours+

[milkweed-militia]

Can't speak for Dan but I would assume Time and Hard Work. I have 100s of trees I could hunt on any given day, and I scout out more new areas every single season. You don't do this for 40 years and not have a lot of options - unless you get trapped into that stage where you hunt the same tree over and over and over.....

3 years ago - I spent 48 of the 52 weekends in a year scouting or hunting - that was my most dedicated season, this year I spent probably 10 weekends scouting and so far 2 of 2 weekends hunting - I have yet to sit in a tree I have ever hunted before this year and only twice last year.

That is impressive stuff. What about your drive times to most properties that you hunt? Are they a pretty good drive from home or fairly close?
During the public land challenge, Dan and Joe were driving 3 hours one way every day to hunt that particular spot. I know that Dan works like everyone else, and that fact maybe peeked my curiosity more than anything. Obviously he couldn't do that same kind of hunt on a daily basis and also work. By the time that I get home from work, I can get out at my house and hunt but it would be dark if I tried anywhere else. I'm wondering about people's work schedules as well. I certainly see that putting in the time scouting gains new locations, but you can only get to so many spots from the time you leave work before dark.

I know that a lot of state's public lands set up differently than my area. I see some similar to here, but I see some that have huge chunks of unbroken land as well.

This thread is certainly not meant to be a dig on Dan or anyone else. I've learned more from reading this site for a month than I ever have from anything I've seen on the outdoor channel. I've got great respect for Dan and what he does. Maybe the title should've been, "How do you get to so many spots with limited time?"

The closest public land is 50 minutes, and most are 2 hours+

I think that is more of what I'm curious about. I get off work around 4:30 and after a 45 to 50 minute drive home, there isn't a lot of daylight left. I'm just assuming that you don't hunt properties that are 50 minutes to 2 hours away after work. I know that I've read or heard Dan talk about a big public marsh being behind his house, which obviously would help.

Do some of you guys have flexible schedules so that you can maybe skip lunch to leave early or stack up time through the rest of the year so you have a little extra time come season?

[DaveT1963]

I hunt 100% public - the closest, which I hunt some, is 45 minutes away. I often travel 2-4 hours to get to better spots. But I am an old single man, and Grace loves to be out scouting with me so most weekends we do just that. What I do is pick out a new WMA every year and I scout that and hunt it. The rest I have history with and I do mainly cameras, inventory with mineral licks, and in season scouting as I already know the bedding areas.

[Kraftd]

With a young family, my opinion is hunting everyday is unrealistic or you're sacrificing too much on the family end. If you look back through old threads, Dan has mentioned that he had a few regrets about hitting it that hard when his kids were younger, and the late great Stan often talked about that. Have to just maintain reasonable expectations about what your situation allows. Dan's also been doing this in the same general areas since he was a kid. Building that kind of inventory and understanding flat takes time, whether you prioritize hunting or not.

I'm in about the same spot you are i sounds like. My kids are 6 and 7, closest spots are 20-60 minutes from me. I usually get out one or two nights a week until daylight savings hits, and then usually at least one weekend sit, and try to get the kids in the woods for small game or waterfowl once as well.

As far as having that many spots, I haven't done nearly the scouting that Dan or a guy like Dave has, but I have I believe 8 sits in so far and a couple of other scouts that never found what I'm looking for and have not sat a tree yet I have ever sat before other than on a private marsh I have access on. If you go back and find Dan's journal from last year, (if you haven't do that asap) you will see that once he is on deer, his moves may only be 10s of yards. That can be all you need. Even in areas I have pretty well scouted I'm always honing sets based on observations and current sign. I may sit the same two acre island 2-3 times a season (early, rut, late usually if sign dictates, maybe be closer together with the smaller moves if I'm on deer) for three years and never sit the same tree. Anywhere that seems like the right spot to be can be a new stand location, whether it's from the ground or a tree. Sometimes I think not being able to trim for stands in WI helps me view the whole area as sittable. You learn to better predict where deer are likely to come from and realize a couple of strategic shooting lanes is good enough for a sit if it is the right spot.

[Kraftd]

Can't speak for Dan but I would assume Time and Hard Work. I have 100s of trees I could hunt on any given day, and I scout out more new areas every single season. You don't do this for 40 years and not have a lot of options - unless you get trapped into that stage where you hunt the same tree over and over and over.....

3 years ago - I spent 48 of the 52 weekends in a year scouting or hunting - that was my most dedicated season, this year I spent probably 10 weekends scouting and so far 2 of 2 weekends hunting - I have yet to sit in a tree I have ever hunted before this year and only twice last year.

That is impressive stuff. What about your drive times to most properties that you hunt? Are they a pretty good drive from home or fairly close?
During the public land challenge, Dan and Joe were driving 3 hours one way every day to hunt that particular spot. I know that Dan works like everyone else, and that fact maybe peeked my curiosity more than anything. Obviously he couldn't do that same kind of hunt on a daily basis and also work. By the time that I get home from work, I can get out at my house and hunt but it would be dark if I tried anywhere else. I'm wondering about people's work schedules as well. I certainly see that putting in the time scouting gains new locations, but you can only get to so many spots from the time you leave work before dark.

I know that a lot of state's public lands set up differently than my area. I see some similar to here, but I see some that have huge chunks of unbroken land as well.

This thread is certainly not meant to be a dig on Dan or anyone else. I've learned more from reading this site for a month than I ever have from anything I've seen on the outdoor channel. I've got great respect for Dan and what he does. Maybe the title should've been, "How do you get to so many spots with limited time?"

The closest public land is 50 minutes, and most are 2 hours+

I think that is more of what I'm curious about. I get off work around 4:30 and after a 45 to 50 minute drive home, there isn't a lot of daylight left. I'm just assuming that you don't hunt properties that are 50 minutes to 2 hours away after work. I know that I've read or heard Dan talk about a big public marsh being behind his house, which obviously would help.

Do some of you guys have flexible schedules so that you can maybe skip lunch to leave early or stack up time through the rest of the year so you have a little extra time come season?

To answer the timing question, I have a pretty flexible work schedule, as I'm basically my own supervisor, so can boogie out at 3 and head straight to the woods a couple nights a week. Often I end up getting up at 4:30 or 5 am to catch up on work, but I enjoy that part of the grind. If work doesn't afford that kind of flexibility, it would be tough.

[headgear]

Years and years of scouting, been at this for 7-8 years now and have more land than I know what to do with and I still scout every single year. Like Dan mentions in the marsh bucks dvd, you will have other hunters move in, you can lose access, some areas go cold, any number of things can happen so just keep scouting and accumulating spots. After a while you start to focus on just the best of the best spots, find as much primary bedding as you can. If you watched Dan's swamp video where he and Mario pulled out 3 bucks in the same location on 3 hunts, if a guy had a few spots like that they would be set for a long time, I have some great spots but I am still looking for a killer setup like that.

[elk yinzer]

Scout, a lot. All post-season scouting. Wish I had more time for inseason scouting but just don't anymore.

I have my dad, brother, and a friend coming from out of state to hunt the last two weeks. I have to have enough spots for me x 4. I am basically a guide now lol. It helps I have over a million acres public within an hour drive.

Windshield time is pretty critical to success I believe. I have public land 5 minutes from my house I've never set foot on. It gets pounded. My drives range from 20 to 90 minutes.

As far as work, I can shift things around and leave at 3 or 3:30 once or twice a week. At this point I would have a hard time taking a job if I couldn't do that. Otherwise it is Saturdays and a week or two of rutcation.

[headgear]

Windshield time is pretty critical to success I believe. I have public land 5 minutes from my house I've never set foot on. It gets pounded. My drives range from 20 to 90 minutes.

Yep this is important too, skip the junk land and put on some miles to get to some better stuff if you have to. I have more land than i know what to do with inside of a half hour but you can find a lot better stuff if I expand that to an hour.

[Kraftd]

Windshield time is pretty critical to success I believe. I have public land 5 minutes from my house I've never set foot on. It gets pounded. My drives range from 20 to 90 minutes.

Yep this is important too, skip the junk land and put on some miles to get to some better stuff if you have to. I have more land than i know what to do with inside of a half hour but you can find a lot better stuff if I expand that to an hour.

Agree with this also. I dropped half a dozen small closer properties this year because I was trying to make them more likely to hold a good back than any sign has ever suggested.

I'd rather hunt one day a week on land I'm confident in than three or four days a week on marginal land. At that point I'd rather just take the kids small game hunting, which is what I do many times when time limits me to the closer stuff.

[Dewey]

I have hundreds and hundreds of pre-scouted spots to hunt all around WI and surrounding states if needed. Many I have hunted with success over and over and some I have never even set a stand in but always have them in the back of my mind. This didn't come together overnight but came from over 30 years of scouting and hunting. Some spots go cold for awhile and drop off my list temporarily but are always monitored because any given time they can get hot again.

Usually when I go into a spot I have 3-4 options available and don't make my final decision until my feet are on the ground and set up based on fresh sign. If it's not there I move onto the next option and so on.

Most of what I hunt is within 30 minutes of home since I don't travel to hunt nearly as much as I used to. I like to focus on the close stuff so I am always keeping up with the seasonal changes instead of chasing my tail hunting old intel from a few weeks ago. I saw that a lot hunting the northwoods. Things changed so much when I wasn't up there for a few weeks I basically had to start all over again to locate the deer.

Staying closer to home observation all year round also becomes so much easier since I am always traveling in the general area anyway every day. I can't tell you how much that has helped me get on bigger bucks over the last 10 years. It's really opened my eyes. In the past I spread myself way too thin and hunting places where bigger bucks just didn't exist in high enough numbers. If you find a large area of public ground that holds plenty of big buck sign get to know that land intimately and accumulate as many spots there as you possibly can. I can't stress how big of an advantage that will give you in the long run.

[hunter10]

I am fortunate to have many areas to hunt. The exact number of trees/spots to hunt can be endless. One bush may have 2 spots you like to hunt but being mobile can give you 10 trees to hunt depending on many factors .

[headgear]

Something else to consider is it can take years to learn an area, I learned a heck of a lot by re-scouting some areas 2-3 years in a row. You see which areas hold deer every year and which spots go cold in a hurry. You certainly don't want to forget about those cold spots if they heat up again but I try and focus on area that hold bucks every single year and that is not a given when you find a buck bed. There are also bedding areas or overlooked spots it can take some time to find, one area I have hunted for years and take one nice buck out of but I know I was missing something. Finally found that overlooked spot next to the road, I know there are other beds as well be it way back somewhere or other overlooked spots. These bucks are finding ways to survive and its up to us to figure out how they are doing it but it can take time and a lot of effort.