Timely hunting

[BowEd]

This thread is'nt for the old experienced bow hunters but for someone just starting out.Usually here in Iowa and other midwest states the rut is'nt in full swing generally till the back half of October to around Thanksgiving or so being the crazy time,but not exactly the same every year to the day.If a person is mainly buck hunting.That can run clear into January though too.Does'nt mean they are'nt shot before but as a general rule it holds true and some devoted fellas keep track of big bucks all summer long.Many does shot the first week too.
The bucks here during that time don't always conform to the status quote as far as movement where and when during this either.Especially the big smart ones.Don't always travel the deer paths the others travel and are on the move 24/7.Middle of the day/all night or whenever.Which can get them to show up in the most untimely and uncomfortable shot situations there is.Usually right under your stand or blind when it's raining,snowing or sleeting....lol.
Not like the does and yearlings here that'll move more a bit right after sunrise and a bit before sunset.So I try to timely hunt around here to increase my chances and make the best use of the time I'm out there.Not over hunting a paticular area too much.Whether I'm after a buck or a doe this is a general rule I go by here.But I will say this about those wary does.They can be a pain in the a$$.....lol.
Staying out there all day has it's merits though and have done that.You just never know.Have to bring a lunch then though too....lol.I'm not using trail cameras for timely sits either which I just wonder how well that works anyway.There are exceptions to my game plan but generally it's spot on.It's just a matter of working the odds to your favor.Of course staying out there everyday all day increases that too but I guess I'm talking about being more efficient....lol.
I mainly just pay attention to the deers' movements which do change here a lot from temperature changes that happen if the food source area is the same so you can watch them.The colder the better in the beginning here,because they're burning calories and need the energy and gotta move to eat,but most times I try to get a deer before the harsher temperatures get here later in the season for bow hunting anyway.Most animals[coon,possum,bobcats,and coyotes] put an upswing in their movements when it begins to get cold enough here.We hav'nt even had a good frost yet.Then lots of leaves on the ground help me prepare for a shot coming my way too.
That's my arm chair synopsis of proven success bowhunting white tail deer here.Granted that a person has his stands in prime places too. Basically you got to think like a deer.My best hunting is still coming up.Wonder what other people think and do???There are people who  love to stalk hunt too.Something to be said for that too.

[bjrogg]

Thanks for a the info.Ed I've hunted one full day opening day, a 1/2 day the second day and today from 3:45 till 7:15. I've been in a different stand every day. I don't  want to overhunt my spots but I'm probably going to have to hunt kinda hard when I can because pretty soon I'm going to get real busy with harvest season. That's one reason I never took up bow hunting before. I doubt I'll have time to hunt the rut I sure would like to. I must have done a fair job thinking like a deer when I put up my stands. I passed on a group of does and fawns second day, and tonight I hit a lone doe. I only wish I had put the arrow in a little better spot. I've really enjoyed everything about this type of hunting. I'm going to keep hunting hard when ever I get the opportunity. Good Luck everyone
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Yes that's right about harvest.In the past years ago I had to get the crop out too making it a short hunting season.My statement I guess was for those who have the time.Then you can't be choosy that's for sure.You've got those edible beans out there yet if I remember right.

[bjrogg]

Actually I got my edible beans off really glad about that they wouldn't lie this rain much. Still have soybeans, corn and the biggest job sugar beets. It's all good I really love my job even though the hours, stress and $$ problems can give you ulcers, but it does get in the way of my hobbies.
Bjrogg

[Swamp Thang]

Thanks I'm an avid hog hunter but tomorrow will only be my second time to go deer hunting. I've scouted a few times find trails but during this time I haven't seen and rubs or scrapes do I just find a trail and squat lol its a long drive and can't afford to sit for days as for food sources good luck oak trees and yauav everywhere water everywhere. My question is how to find a place in a vast area that will increase the odds substantially of seeing a deer apparently I chose to sit on a choke point on a deer trail and a wolf came along lol

[BowEd]

You bet Swamp Thang I'm sure the wolf's got the same idea you do.Hogs I'm sure were good practice.Sounds like fun for sure.It can be frustrating sitting for days and days looking at deer from a distance I know.Some enviornment is just plain harder to get close than others that's for sure.Vast wide open areas especially.Choke points are great.Food source areas.Then scrapes etc.If I see a lot of does the bucks will come eventually.If that's necessary to some.
Seems like sometimes deer hunting can be a full time job for a short time anyway setting scenarios up for a shot.Even here in easy hunting street Iowa things are'nt always so easy.

[Aaron H]

I hunt public land, and I don't have a whole lot of time to get out and scout.  What I like to do, is do a lot of my primary scouting using satellite imagery ( Google earth, Bing maps ), you can use it to narrow down your hunting area to key choke points if you understand the way deer typically move. You can also zoom in so close that you can find water and food sources.  Use satellite along with topography maps and you can get a big area narrowed down pretty quickly.  Of course you still need to put your feet on the ground and do some real field scouting before taking up your bow.

[BowEd]

You bet Aaron.A person's got to remember deer will follow paths of least resistance too.Natural barriers etc.Seems like the deer here travel the sunken washes a lot.
Public hunting I always end up in the most remote areas in those places.The harder to get to places.To stay away from traffic.Lots of hunters won't want to do that and that's where they are most times too.A portable tree stand is used or some natural type ground blind.There are close to 15,000 public hunting acres here 10 miles from me mostly all in one chunk that make that possible to do here.Those are remote enough areas you never know what will come by.

[Swamp Thang]

See I'm so terrible at deer hunting, I went today....still found the hogs 

[Urufu_Shinjiro]

I'm hoping to learn enough, practice enough to go out next year. In the meantime I'm hoping the processor in my wife's home town is selling unclaimed deer meat again, year before last got a whole deer, some ground, backstrap, some other cuts, for like $60.

[bjrogg]

Urufu you might want to ask that processor about saving some sinew for you. Maybe you could trade it if you don't need it. Can't see why people don't eat their deer my mouth is watering just thinking about it
Bjrogg

[Urufu_Shinjiro]

Yeah I thought about that. This is in southwest Ga and I think you're required to take it to a processor but those jerks just looking for a rack to put on the wall never come back for them so the processor sells them cheap to those that need the meat. I didn't get any this past year and I sure missed my wife's deer chili...

[BowEd]

Yes Urufu most times if the processor is nice he will take the time to get the back strap sinew.I've always heard them call it silver fish or something like that.A dull butter knife does the job.Other wise the processor goes on with his business and cuts the loins into chunks and ruins the length of the sinew.Long ago the processor I knew would let me go into the butchering area and get the leg sinew too.
Too bad you don't live closer Urufu as far as meat goes.Don't know the poundage you got for 60.00 but usually I can get ground hamburger done myself or the butcher for 1.25/#.Used to be 10 years ago I could get it ready for .25/#.So goes inflation....lol.Ground backstrap is gooood,but I usually leave it intact and in the crock pot it goes.

[Will Tell]

Putting trail cameras out woke up a lot of hunters to how much deer travel in the mid morning and early afternoons. I hunted a stand by a swamp and never saw any deer. I put a trail camera out and the deer were traveling between 8 and 10 in the morning. The last week in October into November deer are moving anytime around here that's prime time. I see a lot of movement between 10 and 2 in the afternoon. I can only stay on stand about three hours before I get stiff and sore and got to move.

[BowEd]

Well yes I'm sure that's true for some owning cameras but coon hunting most of my life I realized the movements of deer without cameras.I'll zero those times even closer for ya.In the evening right at the time the sun just disappears and there is a golden glow to the area it's the "kill time".Same way in the morning just as the sun comes up with that golden glow it's the "kill time".Dead quiet except for a buck squirrel/blue jay/or chickadee nagging at a deer approaching me.
There's execeptions all the time but my senses and anticipations are always heightened even more at those times.