Bow Hunting Deer...what method(s) do you like?

[Espanola]

Hi everyone,
First of all, very good discussions on this forum for someone like myself who's new to the sport. I've hunted with guns all my life and shot bows in my youth...now 57yrs and I'm shooting a 50-60 lb Hoyt Trykon and planning on hunting black tails this fall. So a question I have is what method do you find works for you?
I'll list a few q's and will be glad of any/all responses...
Tree stand hunting...I understand the logic but what do you look for in its placement? Edge of slashes? Game trails? Do you vary location with the time of year?
I also talked with archers who do not use tree stands(to be honest, I'm leaning this way), if this is you, what works best?

[The Hermit]

I prefer stalking but realistically I am not good enough at it to get in range very often... treestand or ground blind.

[Ron.C]

I've taken a few blacktail out of treestands, but they were all in areas near farmland, or built up areas. I think it would be pretty tough to pattern true backwoods alpine blactail like you can their farmland cousins. Having said that, early season farmland blacktails are very easy to pattern and treestands work great.

[tomahawk]

I have taken 4 blacktails with a bow all by calling. I work an area where there is good sign and off the beaten path. Biggest one was a 4 point and I sealed the deal on him by calling and beating a small bush with a stick like a buck raking his antlers and he came to 8 yds in dense bush. I've also taken several big mulies as well by calling thanks to a trick that bucks can't resist that I was taught by Wayne Carlton when he came to PG years ago.

[bochunk2000]

I prefer still hunting. I look for an area that has a lot of sign and I head up into the timber. I try to walk very slowly and glass everything.
Steve.

[mooseless]

............. I've also taken several big mulies as well by calling thanks to a trick that bucks can't resist that I was taught by Wayne Carlton when he came to PG years ago.

What's the trick,what's the trick....?

[Bowzone_Mikey]

Prolly the tending does tick .....

I prefer to hunt from the ground .... I start in late spring to scout areas i dont know ... find out patterns ..etc ... then I find a natural blind .... a log/slash pile works real well ... dig out the top of it so you have someplace comfy ... and wait .... if you did your homework the right deer will come along

[tomahawk]

What's the trick,what's the trick....?


I sent you a PM.

[Elkaholic]

cmon you need to share the trick everyone who is reading this will want to know :mrgreen:

[Espanola]

I appreciate everyones ideas. In the end I'll figure on using my own experiences on to some of the ideas put forward here. And I can understand some of you not wanting to 'publicize' what works for you other than to give out the general idea.
I remember about 6-8 years ago walking a creek system from the salt water into a lake system...about a km or so of a stretch. It was summer, so I wasn't hunting but as I walked along, there was a steep ridge running along one side of the creek,... steep to vertical. Then, all of a sudden there is this deep cut into it, then back to a steep ridge. Well I looked and thought, wow, if I was to sit and wait anywhere for deer to come through, this would be the place...and sure enough, up through this gut ran a well worn game trail loaded with deer tracks. A natural 'funnel'. I may be wrong but, this summer I'll be scouting it out and give it a try this Fall. If it works for me, I'll let you know....

[Bowzone_Mikey]

thats where you wanna be fer sure

[daycort]

Spot and Stalk is the way for me. I get to bored just sitting in one place and I like the challange of the stalk. I to do preseason scouting and find out where they live and what they do. Mule deer I found are unpredicatable and sometimes I am amazed at how smart they are. Whitetails I think are way easier to pattern, they use the same trails to enter a field (cutblock) and exit a field (cutblock) all the time, where as mule deer go where they want. During the scouting season for those mountain mule deer I have a good idea where they are at but they can also be one mountain over.

Make sure you at least know where those dang blacktails are and spot and stalk will be a good way to hunt. Remember keep that wind in your face, and go slow and learn there habbits.

[J_T]

Depends if you want to "hunt" or "kill.

If you want to see game, "walk". If you want kill game, "sit".

You can spot and stalk a mulie, but treestanding whities is the killers way.

[brotherjack]

To be a really successful bowhunter you need to learn to sit very very very very very (you get the idea) still and quiet. Once you have mastered that, you're 90% of the way there. Next, you need to identify some heavily traveled trails and well used watering holes - basically just go for a hike in a likely area till you see a spot with a whole ton of tracks. Get downwind of the trail, and practice your sitting very very (etc) quiet and still.

[huntwriter]

So far you got a lot of good advice and opinions.

For me treestands are hare hands down the way to go for bowhunting success. Having said that how, where and when you hunt from a treestand is what will determine your success, that’s nowhere more important than when bowhunting deer. Of all the methods stalking is the most difficult and least successful. It can take some hunters years to learn the proper stalking methods. Most hunters scare more deer when they stalk than they will see.

Calling deer and using scent are great ways to bring deer to your stand site.

I could fill a book on how to bowhunt deer, in fact I am writing on it for the last two years.

I leave you here with links to articles that will explain how to scout and what to look for. I recommend that you read the articles in the order they appear here. Still better download them so you can read them over and over again at your lesure.

These are not my articles, they have been written by my good friend John Sloan of Tennessee, a noted outdoor writer and the authority on bowhunting deer.

The four factors of Deer (http://www.tndeer.com/art-four-factors-of-deer.shtml).
Learning the four factors of deer, FOOD, COVER TERRAIN AND STRUCTURE are the key to all deer movement, scouting and stand placement.

Pre-season Scouting (http://www.tndeer.com/art-pre-season-scouting.shtml)

Explains one of the most important aspects of bowhunting which is scouting for the best place to hang your treestand and how to find stand sites for the realy season, rut and late season based on the four factors.

Post Season Scouting (http://www.tndeer.com/art-post-season-scouting.shtml)
Explains why scouting after the hunting season closes can give you important information that will be useful for the hunting season the following year.

The above articles are written for whitetail deer in America but the same basic principles apply for all game animals regardless of where you hunt them.

Many years ago when I started bowhunting I was ready to gave it all up because I never had any success for more than two years. Once John Sloan educated me on the four factors and how to scout the post season and pre season my success changed and I drilled and arrow on four deer in the following bow season, from thereon I was successful every single season.

The last link will lead you to my whitetail deer hunting website (http://whitetaildeerpassion.blogspot.com/) where you can find additional information, tips and tricks that might be useful to you.

The bottom line is this. Shooting a bow well is the smallest part of hunting success. The biggest and hardest part is to become knowledgeable about the animal you hunt and the habitat you hunt in.

Hope this helps and good luck.

[Espanola]

Thanks for the posts fellas...lots of good advice. Stalking would be an option if the right situation/conditions were there...preseason scouting makes a lot of sense...and HunterWriter, thanks for the advice and links - I will follow them up for as much info as I can cram into my skull...for. as well, I'll be trying for a leh on Elk and as you say, these are all good methods for all game animals. I have to ask which tree stand(s) (any of)you prefere to use?

[J_T]

I'll be trying for a leh on Elk and as you say, these are all good methods for all game animals. I have to ask which tree stand(s) (any of)you prefere to use? You had originally asked about deer, and your comment above regarding possibly hunting elk requires the following:
You can hunt elk from the ground quite effectively and most often you should. Elk do not pattern the same as a whitetail so you need to be more agile. It's not spot and stalk, it's look, listen, go hard. You can call an elk in much easier than a whitie, and they come in a lot faster than whitetail. Good camo and a small break up bush/tree is often sufficient for elk. Just be careful with your angles. Just because an elk is close does not mean you should take the shot. Maintain discipline and only take high percentage shots.

I prefer Cros-nest tree stands. Look for light, look for something you can wear like a pack frame. My stands have shoulder straps, I attach my pack to the stand and hunt, when I find the zone, I set up and sit.

[huntwriter]

I am no expert on elk, as J_T pointed out elk hunting requires a slightly different approach and there is a lot more walking involved than with whitetail deer hunting.

Ask me anything about whitetail deer and turkeys and you can expect an answer from me based on many years of experience.:D

As for treestands there are many different makes and models on the market. There are three basic models, hang on stands. Climbers and ladder stands. Each of these models has their uses.

As a beginner I would start with a climbing stand. These stands offer you many applications. As you get more into whitetail deer hunting you want to expand your stand arsenal to a few hang on stands too. The idea is to scout several different places and hang the stands before the deer are in the area. Having many stands lets you rotate stand sites. A stand should not be hunted more than twice per week. Hunt it more times and deer will wise up to it no matter how careful you’re in the approach.

Brand names are not important. All major treestand companies such as Gorilla, Summit, API, Amacker, TreeLounge and others produce quality treestands. When you look for a treestand look for a quality product, avoid el-chepo models and the home built variety, your health and life depends on it.

A good treestand should be easy to transport, easy and fast to set up and safe to use. A treestand should feature a comfortable seat (you’re going to spend many hours sitting) and have a decent size platform that permits you to turn around without having to look down to see where you put your feet. The average weight of most climbing stands is between 15 to 20lbs. Expect to pay upward of $250 to $300. Before committing to part with your money shop around and read as many independent reviews as possible (the internet is a good place to do this.)

Once you have chosen and purchased a stand take it out and practice setting it up until you get so familiar with it that you can do it blindfolded. Important ALWAYS wear a Safety harness while you climb sit in the stand and climb back down. From the moment you leave terra firma you should be safely connected to the tree until you’re back on the ground again.

If you have chosen a stand or would like more information on models and their pros and cons let me know and I will be happy to give you my opinion on it. Over the years I have field-tested hundreds of treestand models. ;)