Just a thought on successful hunts

[ResearchinStuff]

Thanks for saying this. That is how the public I hunt is. It is surrounded by suburban developments and just a few small ag fields. Acorns are the best bet. Does bed just about anywhere they want though so even if acorns are their food, there’s no way to gaurantee where they will bed. That is why the advice of “hunt downwind of doe bedding” sounds ridiculous to me; I can’t imagine hunting a spot where I so confidently can predict that does will be bedded there.

I’ll also add that I am pretty confident there are no bucks beyond spikes that actually bed on the public land because it is all woods surrounding a lake, surrounded by developments. Since suburban area surrounds the woods all over, there is no way of getting somewhere that is truly secluded. While many areas may take a 1+ mile hike to get to for me, someone that lives right next to it may hunt it all year. There are quite a few spots that would require a 3 mile hike to access, but you can guarantee someone who lives in a house there is probably hunting it.

With that said, I think most of the bucks bed on private property since it’s never a long walk for them to access the public at night anyway

IMO, those suburbs are where nice bucks spend 3-5 years eating shrubs and getting nice racks, before they start feeling big and wander over to breed the does/get killed on public.

 

[Eship]

Lot's of great advice in here. This is my 2nd year bow hunting and I'm hooked. I don't have any cameras out I'm just enjoying being in the woods and still trying to harvest my buck here in Ohio for the year. I'm just hoping to harvest a buck at least 3.5 years old but if presented with an opportunity on a buck around 2.5 years I'd probably take it. Do most of you use cameras or who else just goes out to enjoy being in the woods?

Cameras are illegal on the public land around me, but there are still some guys that use them. I do not use them. I have one camera (not a cell cam) at my house that I have and I occasionally check it just because it’s exciting to see all of the different deer that cross my property… mostly at night.

 

[Eship]

IMO, those suburbs are where nice bucks spend 3-5 years eating shrubs and getting nice racks, before they start feeling big and wander over to breed the does/get killed on public.

I believe it, like I mentioned, cameras are illegal on the public I hunt, but during the rut I met a guy that said he had a huge 10 point on camera in the area. He showed me the pictures/videos and he was telling the truth. The big deer are in the area. But they’re smart about it. All of his pictures were at night

 

[whitetailhunter1]

Thanks for saying this. That is how the public I hunt is. It is surrounded by suburban developments and just a few small ag fields. Acorns are the best bet. Does bed just about anywhere they want though so even if acorns are their food, there’s no way to gaurantee where they will bed. That is why the advice of “hunt downwind of doe bedding” sounds ridiculous to me; I can’t imagine hunting a spot where I so confidently can predict that does will be bedded there.

I’ll also add that I am pretty confident there are no bucks beyond spikes that actually bed on the public land because it is all woods surrounding a lake, surrounded by developments. Since suburban area surrounds the woods all over, there is no way of getting somewhere that is truly secluded. While many areas may take a 1+ mile hike to get to for me, someone that lives right next to it may hunt it all year. There are quite a few spots that would require a 3 mile hike to access, but you can guarantee someone who lives in a house there is probably hunting it.

With that said, I think most of the bucks bed on private property since it’s never a long walk for them to access the public at night anyway

What state are you hunting? I hunt my parents' 30ish acres in Ohio mostly. They have plenty of oak trees with acors and last year (my first hunting) saw doe and often bucks almost every sit until the end of the rut then basically nothing after. Do deer tend to seek other food sources later in the season from your experience?

I hate cameras. For me, exploring the woods and seeing what is there is a big part of hunting. I am not a selective hunter. I hunt for any legal buck on my own land. And while I don’t care how other people hunt, but the idea of watching and targeting a specific buck just doesn’t appeal to me. Feels a bit like assassination to me.

I like the idea of growing in my woodmanship skills. I may run cameras in the future to just get an idea of what's out there but like the idea of just keeping it as old school as possible.

 

[whitetailhunter1]

Cameras are illegal on the public land around me, but there are still some guys that use them. I do not use them. I have one camera (not a cell cam) at my house that I have and I occasionally check it just because it’s exciting to see all of the different deer that cross my property… mostly at night.

I'm in Ohio I believe cameras are legal both public and private but so far I've only hunted private since it's close and family. Baiting is only legal on private although I am not. Doesn't feel like hunting to me but I respect those who do legally bait.

 

[Eship]

What state are you hunting? I hunt my parents' 30ish acres in Ohio mostly. They have plenty of oak trees with acors and last year (my first hunting) saw doe and often bucks almost every sit until the end of the rut then basically nothing after. Do deer tend to seek other food sources later in the season from your experience?

I like the idea of growing in my woodmanship skills. I may run cameras in the future to just get an idea of what's out there but like the idea of just keeping it as old school as possible.

Maryland. We can get some decent deer, but definitely not Ohio caliber. Generally late season they rely on woody browse and acorns from red oaks, so targeting them with food can become more difficult late season since woody browse can be anything

 

[MallardSX2]

Almost every single deer I have one wall I killed during my first sit in a stand or area.

It’s not a coincidence.