Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Shooting and Hunting => Topic started by: Sidewinder on October 01, 2008, 02:42:19 pm
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Hi everybody. I haven't posted anything in this area because I have'nt hunted before this year. I was just granted the privlege of hunting in an area of hardwood creek bottom forest that has good farmground surronding it. I have several questions if y'all don't mind. Can some of you tell me some of your spot and stalk stories on whitetail and offer whatever tips you can to help me on my way. I understand the part about hunting into the wind. I also understand changing your walking candence to be less man like when moving through leafy areas that are noisy. What else can you guys add that will help. Another side note is at this point he (landowner) does'nt want me to take any bucks( saving those for his bro inlaw) so what can you suggest to help my chances on a doe since they don't usually repsond as well to rattles and grunts? Danny
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Find the travel routes from the bedding areas through the hardwoods and into the crop fields. Set up an ambush in a ground blind and wait for the does and yearlings to come by. Generally the bucks will be using different trails until the rut begins.
A ground blind can be as simple as a blown down tree or tree top. Sitting with your back against a large tree and a little brush around you should work too. A good background is better than front cover if you sit still. If you can see the deers eyes, the deer can see you! Pat
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Work on your stealth.Learn to move without making alot of noise.This is possible but takes alot of patience.The game I play with myself is to move thru the country without making any noise and any sudden movement.when i do this game well,It is often interupted by some animal walking by or coming into veiw at close range.It's called still hunting and is basically moving from one standing place to another.If it looks good,stand still,sit or lie down and watch.Eat a few berries.Chill.Relax. You learn alot about the place your hunting and the where's and why's of the animals habits.You get to see alot of interesting things and become a part of that environment,not just a guy trying to kill something.Wear camo.
It's not for everyone. Good luck ! Frank
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Thanks Pat and Frank. Both of those comments sound like experience and wisdom talking. I have visualized this for the last yr and I could never decide if I was going to hunt from a stand or on the ground. I find that my limited time means that I cannot scout the area as well as I would like to place a stand so being on the ground and the ablity to move in when the opportunity is right sounds good. I guess my poor schedule will dictate my method of choice. Its still kinda warm here in Kansas 82* today so I have a couple weeks yet to get a good lay of the land. I will spend dawn to dusk out there this Sunday.
Frank, I think that is a great game to play and will enjoy it immensely. I understand that it is not for everyone, but then again neither is harvesting a tree, curing the stave and then making a bow with it so I guess doing it the hard way is the path I have chosen,but I also know that it resonates in my heart like something I am supposed to do.
Do any of you guys know what deer prefer to eat given a choice? Right now soybeans, milo, and accorns are in abundance in this area I am hunting. I figured it might be better to up my odds a little by focusing in on one or the other. Danny
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Sidewinder, my advise to you would be to hunt into the wind, hunt very slowly, and try and blend with your terrain.. use natural cover and avoid any instance when your shadow may be cast over the terrain.. whitetails are very canny prey and in my opinion does are just as hard to hunt as bucks...hunt with honor and integrity and the deer will come to you ;)... good luck brother and look forward to the pics of your harvest... HAWK
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The only thing I can really add is don't get discouraged. It took me 3 years to kill my first deer. If your gonna hunt the fields try to find the trails in and out that'll be your best chance for a bow shot. If the acorns are dropping you can bet there'll be deer there. Good luck.
Wayne
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Thanks Wayne and Mike.
Mike - I had hoped you would have something to add. It just seems to me that you have an encouraging way about you. Yes, I believe that if one hunts with the right heart that the Great Spirit rewards those with a contrite and humble heart. I believe that if we are stressed about scoring a deer or if we have other conflicts going on in our heart and head, that energy emminates into our surroundings. I think that animals are more in tune to picking up on that than most people realize.
Wayne- I think that if I will practice my stealth like Frank suggested below that the experience will be fullfilling in and of itself. If it takes a little while to make my harvest, so be it. I have learned some time ago that I am not in the results busniess. I can only control my choices, attitude and effort. Outcomes I leave up to God. Danny
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spend a evening or two watching the fields, that way you will learn where the deer are entering the field and what time they are getting there. set up at least 2 ambush points for various wind conditions some what away from the field. generally when deer move from their bedding areas to the feeding area they take their time and browse as they go. Then just like building a bow patience. remember yer smarter than a deer but they have better senses and are attuned to their enviroment. If you make a brush blind on a trail this may change their travel routes just like if the wife moves the couch you notice it immediately. Good luch and shoot straight eh. :)
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Sidewinder, as already mentioned, you really have to be concious of the wind and your movement. If on the ground stalking, you also have to be careful about noise...unless if the leaves are wet, that would help negate that challenge. A deer is extremely quick, so a shot on an alert deer using primitive equipment is very risky. Most likely if the deer knows something is wrong, they'll either "jump the string" completely, or you may wound them. I strive to have the deer completely at ease when I make my shot, thinking that everything is fine with their surroundings.
If you hunt off the ground, you might use a blind as an option when not stalking. Try to incorporate something already in the woods like a fallen tree or ditch, and you just add some cover to it as needed. Make sure you're down wind of where you expect the deer to come from. I like to hunt places where the structure of the terrain funnels the deer into a small area. This could be a bottle neck in the woods, or a steep ditch that they're only crossing at a certain location. You might carry a small stool of some type with you to the blind and clean the leaves away where any movement with your feet that you might have to make could be accomplished quietly. If you're comfortable, you won't figit and move as much which may cause a deer to spot that movement.
Of course a lot of this can be applied to treestand hunting which is what I personally prefer. I'm sure Indian's used elevated perches to hunt from as well as stalking. I respect you're wanting to try hunting off the ground...it is a challenge along with the equipment we use. But if we weren't after the challenge, we'd all be using rifles I suspect. I do hunt from a stand, but I hunt from a stand throughout the entire deer season in Tn., Sept. through Jan. 1st, using a selfbow.
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Good advise Dana I shall take it to heart. Most of my hunts will be in the morning because thats how my schedule will work out but I shall do you what you say none the less.
Greg I remeber seeing pics of one or two of your deer from last year so I trust what you say. My big thing right now is I don't have a stand and even if I did , with not having enough time to really find the best place to put one, I thought this method would be the best use of my time as well as helping me practice my stealth skills. I do enjoy the view from up in trees though so who knows if I find a good spot that I think will score I may try my hand at that as well, but for now I will just do it on the ground. Danny
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Sounds to me like you are well on your way to an honorable harvest... good luck and look forward to the pics of your hunts.. hopefully even en article in PA about the adventure ;D keep to the good road brother and hunt safe.... HAWK a/ho
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My buddy Jimmy just loaned me G Fred Asbells book "Stalking and still hunting" I will be consuming that over the next couplle days. Danny
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That is an excellent book. G.Fred knows his stuff. ;) Pat
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Pat, I am 3/4 thru it now and I can tell you are right. Biggest thing that sticks out to me right now is when he pointed out that that the deer doesn't make any decisions until he checks the wind. Although it should be obvious, to me it was'nt and it was like an epiphany. Learning to understand our quarry and think like he does allows us to outsmart him. Good stuff. Now hopefully I can put it good use. Danny
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Danny, if a deer sees you he is curious. If he hears you, he is curious. If he smells you, he GONE!!! ;)
I liked how Fred explained about wide and narrow vision. After reading that I realized that is something we use all the time(peripheral vision) but didn't realize it. Pat
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Pat...Yeah he makes several real good points like that. Funny thing is I'm sure my neighbors are convinced for sure that I am off my rocker now. I have been practicing my "woods walking" or as Dr. Ashby calls it "pussyfootin", in the back yard at night with my headlamp on..lol. I know they though I lost it when I started debarking staves and making bows. I have a fire pit going most nights like I'm in camp or something. Then when I put up the black bear mackenzie taget against the garden shed and started shooting it full of arrows and now this!! I love it. I guess a mans got to do what a mans got to do. Danny