Review of a Blog: BuckHuntersBlog.com

If you want to get a better understanding of what hunting is all about, I believe it is important to look into what other hunters have to say.  When doing this, it’s important to keep an open mind and be willing to ask questions about whether or not you feel what they have to say is credible.  One of the best ways to do this is to look at other hunter’s blogs.  More than likely, if a hunter is passionate enough to have a blog, they may have something to say that could be of value to you.

I looked around and found a blog that I believe other hunters should take a look just to get an idea of what others are talking about.  Buckhuntersblog.com answers a lot of questions that hunters tend to have.  But one thing to be aware of is that most of the entries, much like other blogs of this nature, are based on experience and opinion.  This is by no means a bad thing but you have to be willing disagree and not blindly follow what they have to say. 

One instance of this is an article written on the blog called Should You Shoot Small Bucks.  I strongly disagree with this practice but I do understand where the article is coming from.  It is a well written article and the main points for that side of the argument are well presented.  Just because I don’t agree doesn’t mean that I don’t think the blog is insightful.  It gives advice and expresses knowledge on the subject that I believe other hunters should consider when thinking about the hunt.

Solving the Problems of What to Do After the Shot

Many hunters dream about getting that one perfect shot at a monster two hundred inch deer.  They’ll spend countless hours planning their hunts.  This includes all the time and money spent on clothes, equipment, and everything else that goes into have the hunt come together.  But with such a low success rate on bow hunters actually shooting deer, many don’t get the chance to experience the retrieval of a deer.  Many factors go into this part of the hunt but it seems to be a part that is easily forgotten.  Solving the problem of finding your deer after a shot is extremely important for every hunter.  This article should give you plenty of tips on the best ways to recover your trophy deer.

The first step to finding your deer comes right when the shot is made.  If you want to make a good shot, you have to wait for a good shot.  It’s not a race.  If the deer is moving in, it’ll give you the shot you want, you just have to be ready.  When you’re pin is set right behind the front shoulders with the deer standing broad side or quartering away, the shot is about to happen.  Take a deep breath.  You must pick a spot and concentrate on as small as a spot as you can.  When you’re just shooting for the chest, you’re allowing for a much larger field of error for your shot.  So pick a small spot, concentrate, and when the timing is perfect, fire.

If you’ve done the first step, you’ve moved into the most important part of the process.  This is the honesty step.  Many things can go wrong directly after the trigger is pulled.  You must follow through your shot and watch with the utmost attention to what happens to your arrow.  Once your arrow leaves the rest, it is encountering the elements of nature.  This includes the wind and limbs that may not have been taken into account before the shot.  If you follow your arrow closely, you’ll see any imperfections in the flight path.  The best way to see this is to have a lighted nock on your arrow.  These are highly recommended and will be invaluable through the recovery process. 

To read the rest of this article, visit my website at http://www.whitetailconnections.webs.com/

The Honest Shot

Deer hunters can spend a lot of time thinking about getting that perfect shot.  A lot of things go into getting that shot.  Everything has to come together just right to have that deer walk by where you are at just the right time within range and all you’re equipment has to be in sync to make the shot come together.  But I think that some hunters forget to think about what to do after the shot has been made. 

When you’re hunting archery, there are a lot of things to think about when you’ve just shot a deer.  Step number one is to be honest about the shot.  If you didn’t ten zone it then you have to be honest about it.  Don’t try to convince yourself that you made a shot that you didn’t.  This is easily the number one reason why hunters don’t find their deer.  Hunters convince themselves that they got both lungs when in fact they shot straight through the guts.  So they’ll get down out of the stand after fifteen minutes and go walking after the deer.  What they’ll find is that the deer has run about hundred yards and curled up behind a fallen tree or brush.  From here the deer will run until they drop after the hunter bumps it out of where it laid down.  All they had to do was be honest with themselves and back out quietly.  The deer could take over eight hours to die with a gut hit so after a long wait, go back out and find the blood trail.  It’ll probably lead you to a stream, or a pond where the deer is trying to find relief from the pain.  It’s not pretty but if that’s what happened, all you can do is be honest about the shot and don’t try to convince yourself of something it wasn’t.

Hunting Life Choices

Chicago: the big city and my biggest nightmare.  My girlfriend presently resides in the downtown area there.  Being that she is there and I am not, I am forced to come up and stay.  More than likely, I will also have to move there.  It’s something I’m having a hard time coping with but that’s life.  Many of us hunter I’m sure have been in the same situation.  We know what we enjoy and love to do but life keeps us from it.  For those hunters who are okay with only hunting five or six times a year, something of this nature would be of no consequence to them.  For those who try to hunt at least thirty times a season can really feel it’s a losing battle.

When you think about all the things you’ve given up in your life, doubt eventually ensues.  The “what ifs” and “could have beens” drive our state of mind.  When you are passionate about something, it can be extremely hard to let it go in order to fulfill hopefully a greater good.  But can you really put a price on happiness?  I know most hunters aren’t involved enough with deer hunting to want to make a life altering change for it.  There are some of us though that can feel that need pumping through our veins.  Even though the hunting season only lasts a few months, hunting deer is an all year affair.  When a choice has to be made between two passions in your life, the regret for the other will linger.

Why I Hunt

Every hunter in America is extremely fortunate to have that opportunity.  I feel privileged to have the chance to take part in the hunter lifestyle and learn what it means to be a hunter.  I often wonder though what drives us to go out in the middle of winter and try to stick an arrow through a deer.  It could simply be our nature to look for this type of excitement in the heat of a hunt.  It could also just be an individual preference to simply enjoying nature.  What is for certain is that we hunters have the opportunity to take part in a fantastic pastime undoubtedly will stick with us all through our lives

When I think about the reasons I still hunt, many things come to mind.  I am someone who is in constant pursuit of peace and calm.  The wilderness is an escape that my mind and soul crave and I know that many others feel the same way.  It’s hard to compare anything to feeling of sitting in the middle of the woods, surrounded by nature’s splendor, taking a deep breathe, and feeling at peace.

 I had a professor who talked about how we all now live in a world that makes us feel  as if we never have everything we need done accomplished.  He asked the class if anyone truly ever feels that when they go to sleep at night they have accomplished everything they wanted to that day.  Natural, everyone said no.  I didn’t want to be the odd man out but I knew in my mind that when I’ve been hunting from dawn to dusk and plan to do the same the next day, I never sleep as good that night as I do any other night.  The world is of no consequence and life seems to be so much more fulfilling.  This is way I thank my lucky stars every night that I can live a lifestyle that heals my soul.

Hunter's Needs

Every deer hunter has needs.  Some may be more wants than needs but they’re all dependent on how we hunt.  Hunting in southern Georgia isn’t the same as hunting in northern Iowa or western Pennsylvania.  Hunters in all these areas require different equipment to hunt effectively.  Many of the fundamentals are the same but every hunter needs to pin point what it is going to take to be effective in their pursuit of whitetails.

Something that I found interesting about different equipment is how bow holders that screw into the tree can vary.  I bought one from Cabela’s a few years ago and found that the screw that you fed into the tree always had a hard time getting started.  I still have to bring a screw in tree step in the pack to make a starting hole to put the bow hold in.  After the starting hole is made there’s never any trouble but trying without one is futile.  It’s a minor inconvenience to have to have a screw in step but doable.  Hunting in Illinois, we have a lot of hardwoods like oak, ash, and hickory.  What I found out was the makers of the bow holder are from Georgia.  For them, hunting softer trees is much more common so having s piercing screw isn’t entirely necessary. 

When it comes to needs, some of us hunt around twelve to fifteen feet off the ground while others hunt over twenty.  I prefer to be over twenty but finding an affordable way to get up that high is kind of a challenge.  Sure you could use screw in steps but it’s such a hassle to have to screw in that many steps, especially when you’re hunting over twenty trees.  I’ve found that having sets of climbing sticks made can be a cheap and effective way to go.  I use two twelve foot sections for each set which gets me a solid twenty-four feet up the tree. 

What needs drive you should determine your equipment.  Just because it’s advertised on television doesn’t mean you need it.  Be practical and hunt smart.  Knowing what you need to be effective can be the determining factor for your hunts ever year.

Stay connected, visit my website at http://www.whitetailconnections.webs.com/

Broken Points

A trophy hunter’s have a silent enemy.  It is something to fear when you’re chasing a 150 plus inch whitetail.  Broken points on a buck can be a heartbreaker for a hunter looking to shot a nice trophy buck.  It always amazes me when I see bucks with broken points.  It shows how tough and hard hitting these deer can be.  The enemy comes in many forms for antlers but there isn’t anything that can be done to prevent it.

I was hunting on November 3^rd and watched as a few does started to move in under the tree.  They were walking slowly but constantly looking back into the woods.  I knew what that meant and got ready for the buck to show.  Not long after that, here he came.  His head was down and smelling the scent of the does.  When he got closer I thought that something didn’t look right about him.  I took a look through the binoculars and was shocked.  The buck was missing almost his entire right antler. 

The buck was probably a three and half year old deer and would have scored around 120.  This is if his right antler complemented the left.  When I looked close at what was left of the antler, you could see that the brow tine was still intact but as main beam started to curve up by the ear it had been broken clean off.  You could tell be the way the deer was acting that he could have cared less about it being broken off.  He wasn’t self-conscious about how he looked or how he may not be capable of putting up a fight.  He acted like he was still the toughest deer in the woods chasing the does around.  He was making rubs and working scraps but those broken points are going to save his life for another season.  If he survives shotgun season he could really turn into a nice buck next year.  But for now, broken point gave him a second chance.

Illinois Food Plots

When it comes to Illinois, crop fields are the food plots of choice.  Soy beans and corn fields are very common for food plots and with good reason.  The soil in most of the state is optimal for the growth of these two plants and deer love it.  They’ll eat the grasses but when the snow comes and the deep freezes come.  The grasses die while the soy beans and corn crops still stand. 

I’ve been hunting a property where we have been testing food plot methods for the last five years.  The food plot is just less than ten acres but has produced some excellent results.  We always stuck to a corn and bean split but for the past two years we have tried a mixture of clover and other organics.  What we’ve noticed is that the beans and corn are still getting eaten to pieces while the deer only really seem to eat the clover out of all the other grasses.  There could be several variables attributing to this which are unbeknownst to us. 

What I do know is that it’s important to know what works best for your geographical area.  The best way to find out what that is can be done though asking other hunters.  I know lies can fly about things of this nature but if you ask enough reputable people then you can draw some conclusions and make a decision.  Either way, if you want to increase your chances of seeing deer, you need the food.

Trespassers

For deer hunters, trespassers are public enemy number one.  Coyotes are a pain, wild dogs can be a huge problem, but the scum from the bottom falls onto trespassers.  As you can tell, I do not hold these individuals in the highest regard.  There are a lot of motivations for trespassers but what it really boils down to is that they are lazy.  These guys prey on the hard work of others by going out and hunting areas that someone may have spent all year working the ground to make it suitable for deer. 

Several things can motivate these individuals but they all stem from some sort of laziness.  Someone who goes onto your property and hunts is too lazy to take the time and ask around for permission.  They must feel that any rejection is not worth the effort for them.  So not only will they go and hunt out of one of the tree stands that you bought, cleared out, and put up, they’ll steal it on their way out.  If you want to feel anger like you’ve never felt before, wake up at three in the morning, drive an hour to your hunting spot, go up to a tree that you’ve planned all week to hunt and have not steps or tree stand. 

Jealousy also has something to do with it.  They may have heard that there are big bucks roaming the area and they want a crack at them.  Some of these guys will go to any length to get a shot at one of your bucks.  What they don’t realize is that the only reason that there are good bucks is because guys like him aren’t hunting the area.

So if you see someone trespassing on your ground, don’t hesitate and call the police.  If the opportunity is presents itself you have to put a stop to the behavior right away.  When the cops pick the person up for trespassing anyone else who thinks about pulling the same stunt will think twice about doing it at your place.

To see more about hunting whitetails, visit http://www.whitetailconnections.webs.com/

The Hunt of November 4

Hunting in the early part of November can be incredible. Whitetail deer are on the move and in rut so getting out is essential. I was able to hunt today even and was looking forward to having another chance to see the nine and a half year old six point. He has been showing up on trail cameras regularly for the last week working scrapes and patrolling the area. The chances of him walking right by me though are so slim it's nearly impossible but if I wanted a chance to shoot him I had to try.
The winds were coming strong out of the Northwest all afternoon at around fifteen to twenty miles an hour. The clouds were starting to build overhead and it really looked like it could be a great hunt. I got into the stand at and set up by around three o'clock. On the walk in I saw a doe standing in the field already and knew it was go time. Not long after being in the tree, two does made their way towards my stand on the wood's edge. After a few minutes of them standing around and watching behind them, in came the buck.
The buck was probably a two and a half year old buck with his right antler having a nice four point frame. On his left antler, after a close look, he had broken off all of the antler except for a small piece sticking out and away from his brow tine. When he walked in you could tell he thought he was king of the hill. He chased the does around in front of the tree while working up a scrape and making a rub. All three of the deer ended up walking right under the stand. It really makes a hunt when you can see deer act the way they did instead of them just walking by.

Overhunting?

I’ve always been interest in what hunting pressure can do to deer.  I wonder if it’s possible to have so much hunting pressure in an area that the deer become nocturnal.  To have deer become purely nocturnal during rut is very improbable but is there an extent to which they keep themselves concealed until the safety of the night?

I recently spent some time at a state park in Illinois for a few days of deer hunting.  I’ve been hunting the area for the past five years and the pressure is most certainly increasing.  Even though the number of hunters in the area had increased, I did see a fair amount of deer.  That included a close encounter with a 120 class and a 130 class eight pointer along with several does.  The bucks were both younger bucks and not ones I would shoot but they were nice to see all the same.  But what interested me was when I hunted along field edges

The field edges I hunt have been places I’ve seen deer routinely come out to all times of the year.  The field was one of the only ones in the area that still had a soy bean crop in it.  Every time I hunted the field in a different tree every time, I was sure that the wind was right and that there was no one hunting close by.  I never once saw a deer walking out into the field like they had in the past. 

I had a few hypotheses for this.  One possibility is the deer simply didn’t need to go into the field to eat.  They may have had enough food in the woods or were happy with feeding in the turned over dirt of the nearby corn fields.  Another possibility is that they just weren’t in the area those nights to come out to the field.  Just because there are woods their and deer are in the area doesn’t mean they have to come out to the field.  Another option is that the hunting pressure in the area has the deer in a nocturnal mode.

I don’t like the final option as a reason but it is a possibility.  There are simply too many variables that could attribute to what I noticed and to what the other hunters have noticed this season.  One of the evidences for this option was that my father was able to get a glimpse of two does entering the bean field on our last evening there.  The does entered the field right at sunset but once they entered the field, they ran across it to the other side and into the other stretch of woods.  They seemed to be afraid of spending too much time in the open.  In the heat of deer hunting season with so much pressure it’s not hard to see why.  If they can tell the pressure is on, they could be avoiding areas they know people tend to visit. 

Unfortunately, increased hunting pressure doesn’t just extend to hunters; there are others who can increase the pressure.  Poachers could be the unseen variable.  If deer are afraid to come into the open it could be a sign of poaching.  It’s an unfortunate part of hunting for those of us who abide by the laws but as long as people see an opportunity it will more than likely continue.  Either way, the pressures put on by hunters may be a reason that deer are not coming in as frequently.  If you’re hunting an area where the deer seem to have vanished, then the plague of overhunting could be upon you.