Post Your 2010 Hunt Pictures

[thule]

Hello Boys & Girls
 
I figured we start a thread with our successful hunt stories and pictures. Let the story telling begin:

[290is]

[:)] no picture, but I got a 4 pointer on Thursday at 3:30pm.
[:o] for those of you that haven't seen anything yet. don't get discourage, my stat is 14 hours on stand per deer sighting and I hunt new spot each time or 6 days later when I hit that spot again.
[8|]last year's deer sighting, 1 doe, 5 bucks.

[thule]

I have a total of 17 hours in the stand (broken up between 3 stands) and havent seen anything yet. I must admit that discouragment is setting in. I'm begining to second guess myself. For example I'm on an apple orchard and Im thinking of moving my stand because of no deer sighting, its killing me. Considering this is only my 2nd year maybe I screwed up somewhere when putting up my stand.

[290is]

well thule, this is my 2 cents.
1. the deer in MA, these are the most people smart deer around.
2. orchard, field etc. these are high percentage night time visit. must have undetectable entry and exit route. it is a good pm hunt in the early season and a good morning hunt during the rut. 11-1 to the end of the archery season. "you'll definitely see a buck walking around 9:45am." are there other people hunt there? if yes, me personally, I would go farther back in the woods and look for bottle necks. b/c this just became a low percentage spot. if no, then you only need to spend 30% of your time hunting it. the other 70% spend it else where.
3. 17 hour and 3 stands, to me you already burned it out. the deer already have you figure out. I would move 2 to a bottle neck type location.
4. ladder stand type, my success has been the first time I hunt it. after that the deer figure you out and they change their pattern to just out of sight. then you play cat and mouse game with them and then the season end.

I used to set up 6 summit ladder stands and move them as needed. my percentage of harvest was still low. in the pass 7 years, I only use the summit viper climber and go any where and every where. and if I should have a deer tag during shotgun is because I choose to. usually my doe tag b/c I like to track in snow...

well, good luck huntin.

[thule]

290is I think your right! Yes, there are 2 others whom hunt the land (orchard) aswell. I will be taking your advise and moving my stand farther back in the woods focusing on the bottle necks. Right now Im sitting at the edge of the orchard (about 15 yards from a trail leading back to bedding) but at this particular spot I've only put in 2 hours on the stand and about 6 hours of scouting.
 
b/c this just became a low percentage spot. if no, then you only need to spend 30% of your time hunting it. the other 70% spend it else where. (You lost me on this comment)
 
Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm thinking a bottle neck is like a funnel, correct?
 
The last thing I want is to start collecting deer tags!
 
Thanks for your help.

[290is]

thule, low percentage same as low chance. b/c 2 people are already hunting there too. then it's a very low chance or very low percentage of getting a deer there. so you should scout and spend a lot more time else where. thus this will increase your chance of seeing deer.

bottle neck and funnels, they are the same to me. any where, where 2 or more trials comes together. watch the wind and put a stand there. 80% of my stand locations are in this type of bottle neck/funnels...

one of my rule is to never ever bow hunt within 1/2 mile of another bow hunter. why?, b/c the deer that is on the trial that you are watching, maybe spooked or shot way before it gets to you. low percentage......

collect deer tags, that's how I started. you're on the right track though, talking, listening and watching. you'll start seeing deer soon. any acorn where you're at?. this year's acorn is only on elevation of 280 or higher. find the acorns you'll find the deer.

good luck!

[thule]

290is
 
I found the bottle necks or funnels as they call them. I got on a trail going into to bedding from the orchard. On the trail I found 1 rub (I didnt walk the whole trail) facing south which tells me the buck made that rub coming in from the orchard. Yes, I did walk on the deer trail, but its was so thick in this area I had no choice. The good news is that I landed in an open area (just beyond the thicket) which looks like a deer highway there are trails everywhere. The confusing part is that I can see the trails being used by the prints but I cant find the droppings. I think the constant falling of the leaves and acorns are covering everything up. There is so much food in the area that I draw a blank everytime I go in. On the way out I picked off about 10 ticks and ate a belly full of grapes. lol
 
Today's plan is to move the stand into this deer highway and eat some more grapes!

[290is]

thule, looks like your on track. good luck....

[thule]

Success!
 
The stand is in a better spot. Now its time to let it air out. Bird hunting tomorrow and deering hunting on saturday.
 
I'll keep you posted!

[TheSpecialist]

I arrowed a nice 8 in 2010, and shot another with the shotgun in 2009.