Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


User avatar
GRFox
500 Club
Posts: 1657
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 4:59 am
Location: New York
Status: Offline

Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby GRFox » Wed Jun 29, 2011 3:07 pm

So I have hard a couple of times in Andre's articles or video clips as well as here on the forum something that goes like.....

When guys find fresh hot sign they make the mistake of hanging a stand and then letting it cool off for 2 pr 3 days and then hunting it. They just blew they're best opportunity to kill that buck by not hunting it the same day.....

Now I couldn't agree more and I want to use that to my advantage this year in September and early October on the thousands of acres of PL in Connecticut that are available to me. I want to stay mobile and scout the properties mid day before I hunt them in the evenings....but what exactly would you considers "hot sign"? Rubs? Scrapes? Big tracks? What would you have to see in order to confidently hang a stand or pump up in a climber on the spot?

[ Post made via Android ] Image


User avatar
cornfedkiller
500 Club
Posts: 2419
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:56 am
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby cornfedkiller » Wed Jun 29, 2011 3:55 pm

Excellent question GRFox, and something I have been wondering a lot too! I will be listening here (and maybe posting up a related question or two later)..
User avatar
PLB
500 Club
Posts: 6974
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:49 pm
Location: NE Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby PLB » Wed Jun 29, 2011 4:02 pm

All of the above!! An early rub line and big tracks indicates a big buck's travel route within his core area. This is what I'm looking for the first couple weeks of season. The main thing is to set up on it right away before he comes thru and smells you were there! After that its game over ;) You need to be on a transition line close to his bed to catch him during shooting hours though!!
Obsession Bows
Lone Wolf Alpha and sticks
User avatar
cornfedkiller
500 Club
Posts: 2419
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:56 am
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby cornfedkiller » Wed Jun 29, 2011 4:09 pm

I will try to pose a hypothetical situation for what GRFox is asking...which Im thinking is the same thing I am wondering as well, along with a couple new questions to hopefully cover all the bases..

You find/acquire a new piece of property in september (or have a piece of property you have not been able to scout for some reason), you get there, grab your bow, throw your stand on your back, and hit the woods..

What are you looking for??

And when you find what you are looking for, how do you know how fresh it is (ie, tracks??)

And ok..you find what you can tell is fresh sign, do you set up right there (right where the sign is)? Or which direction do head?
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41587
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby dan » Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:37 pm

For me "hot sign" in September would be fresh sign "tracks, rubs, scrape" on the edge of a buck bedding area.


What are you looking for??

A well worn trail with large tracks coming out of a bedding area, within 200 yards of percieved buck bedding.

And when you find what you are looking for, how do you know how fresh it is (ie, tracks??)

Experiance looking at buck sign. Most good hunters can at least tell if sign is from the last couple days or old.

And ok..you find what you can tell is fresh sign, do you set up right there (right where the sign is)? Or which direction do head?
I head towards what looks the most like bedding cover. The closer the better.
User avatar
cornfedkiller
500 Club
Posts: 2419
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:56 am
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby cornfedkiller » Wed Jun 29, 2011 11:48 pm

So without knowing exactly where he is bedding, its all just assumed by using topos and aerials, right?
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41587
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby dan » Thu Jun 30, 2011 12:06 am

cornfedkiller wrote:So without knowing exactly where he is bedding, its all just assumed by using topos and aerials, right?

COULD BE... But from experiance looking at buck bedding areas, a guy can look at the terrain and cover without a map and take an educated guess.
User avatar
headgear
500 Club
Posts: 11625
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 am
Location: Northern Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby headgear » Thu Jun 30, 2011 12:50 am

Good Q&A here! I was able to do this once last year and get on a buck, I took a canoe down a river into a new area and I found some nice tracks and a scrape. Had I setup right there I would have never seen the buck, I took an educated guess at the bedding area and moved 150 yards further back near a transition line, found some more fresh tracks and setup. It was too dark to shoot when the buck came by so I probably didn't get close enough to his bed but it sure was an eye opener. Not even sure how big the deer was but I think he might have been a shooter for my standards.

Some other times I did this it was a total disaster, one time I think I got too close and the deer blew out of there before I even setup but really that is how you learn. Plus it's a new area so it's not a big deal anyway.
76chevy
500 Club
Posts: 512
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 4:56 pm
Location: Southern IL
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby 76chevy » Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:06 am

right at this point is where expert woodsmanship is needed!!

this judgement call of setting up here or moving in another 50-100 yards is a very hard call to make IMO

I am open to learning, working hard, and always approach hunting with the mindset of a student...that's the first step to this type of hunting IMO

dan wrote:....

And ok..you find what you can tell is fresh sign, do you set up right there (right where the sign is)? Or which direction do head?
I head towards what looks the most like bedding cover. The closer the better.
". . . there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun." --Fred Bear
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41587
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby dan » Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:13 am

this judgement call of setting up here or moving in another 50-100 yards is a very hard call to make IMO

I am open to learning, working hard, and always approach hunting with the mindset of a student...that's the first step to this type of hunting IMO


a guy just needs push the limets. yea, your going to make some mistakes. The important parts are that you 1) learn from the mistake, 2) that you keep trying and 3) that you can laugh off a blunder and not let it get to you.
User avatar
GRFox
500 Club
Posts: 1657
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 4:59 am
Location: New York
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby GRFox » Thu Jun 30, 2011 3:36 am

cornfedkiller wrote:I will try to pose a hypothetical situation for what GRFox is asking...which Im thinking is the same thing I am wondering as well, along with a couple new questions to hopefully cover all the bases..

You find/acquire a new piece of property in september (or have a piece of property you have not been able to scout for some reason), you get there, grab your bow, throw your stand on your back, and hit the woods..

What are you looking for??

And when you find what you are looking for, how do you know how fresh it is (ie, tracks??)

And ok..you find what you can tell is fresh sign, do you set up right there (right where the sign is)? Or which direction do head?


Pretty much exactly what I was asking haha, thanks Cornfed...

Awesome feed back guys, thanks for the info! If anyone has anymore keep it coming!
Autumn Ninja
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby Autumn Ninja » Thu Jun 30, 2011 6:41 am

This is not a beast tactic....but I thought I would throw it in anyway, LOL.

When I find a scrape that a doe has pee'ed in, its dark, still wet and I can smell it from several feet away.
I will immediately set up down wind of the local doe group. Sometimes I will bump the does out of the bedding area and set up right on top of the beds.

I once seen five different bucks in the same morning doing this...three bucks chacing the same doe and heard a buck fight that I still find it hard to believe that they both lived through.
User avatar
headgear
500 Club
Posts: 11625
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 am
Location: Northern Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby headgear » Thu Jun 30, 2011 6:55 am

Great tip Ninja!

In the past I have had groups of does come by during the rut and wind me, they never spooked but got very nervous and moved off. As soon as they were a safe distance away I always moved and setup downwind of their trail hoping to catch a buck later that day. It has never worked for me but after hearing your story I think I will keep trying it.
Autumn Ninja
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby Autumn Ninja » Thu Jun 30, 2011 7:18 am

headgear wrote:Great tip Ninja!

In the past I have had groups of does come by during the rut and wind me, they never spooked but got very nervous and moved off. As soon as they were a safe distance away I always moved and setup downwind of their trail hoping to catch a buck later that day. It has never worked for me but after hearing your story I think I will keep trying it.

When a hot doe hit's her feet running.....so do the bucks. Even if the bucks see you they will usually stay focused on the doe. With the does short attention span coupled with being chased by a the buck....her instincts take over and she will usually start running circles in and around her bedding area. The circles start big and get smaller...after 20-30 mins. of being dogged, Ive had them walk right back into the bedding area, tongue hanging out and bed back down 20-30 yards from my stand....buck in tow. ;)

Ive also seen the doe lose the buck....especially if there are two or more bucks bedding near by. The bucks will sometimes come right back to the doe beds and start over fresh where the trail started...just like a hunting dog often does. Seen a buck come back to the same does bed four times one day to start his track over, LOL.
User avatar
headgear
500 Club
Posts: 11625
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 am
Location: Northern Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Clarification on a beast tactic.....

Unread postby headgear » Thu Jun 30, 2011 7:42 am

Very interesting stuff.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: HunterBob, weingarb and 94 guests