3 year case study of Beast Style Hunting

[Rich M]

I’m older, mostly deaf and not crazy about scouting or hunting in the FL heat.

Even with the low energy approach, beast hunting has greatly improved my number of sightings and bucks.

Things like where to look for beds, entrance and exit strategies, stand location, and such also play a big part in successful hunting. All of it is part of beast hunting.

What the beast hunting has done for me is push me to not settle. Find the zone, figure out safe access, and hunt it on the best wind possible while minding the thermals.

My last FL hunt was 2018, had the best fl hunt yet. Finally drew again and getting ready to start scouting and expanding my base knowledge for the hunts I finally drew.

[Coalcracker]

Cool topic.

I'm a case study for right around 40 years. That is 40 years of deer hunting. Its been an amazing ride and what a learning experience. Along the way, we are influenced by someone, something to hunt a certain way. Maybe a few out there set out on their own without any influence from someone or something but most get the itch from somewhere. At some point, many of us head in our own direction but any direction you turn has been pretty much tried and proven. There are great stand hunters, stalkers, still hunters, trackers, etc. etc. the list goes on.

I strive to be all of those. That's what's great about deer hunting. You can learn any approach, any tactic, the hard part is becoming proficient with it. The one singular thing I have learned most is hard work. Consider those like Dan, the Professionals of our sport. How does one train to play in the NFL, MLB or NBA? All year, non-stop training of their craft. Tom Brady, like him or hate him doesn't stop thinking, training for the NFL. If you want to beat the best, you must work hard. Beating mature bucks requires hard work. Beating them consistently requires harder work. There are no short cuts.

Beast mode is the closest thing I've come to a short cut but it really isn't a short cut at all. It requires time consuming, diligent hard work. So, after 40 years of trying about all there is to try, being good at many but expert at none, Beast mode hunting closer to bedding has been the most productive in bow season for me. Stand hunting escape routes between bedding and small deer drives have been most productive for me in rifle season. Its all relative to the in-season conditions and where exactly it is your hunting.

If I hunted in Maine, it would probably be tracking. This is why I and we should strive to be proficient at any method for chasing down mature bucks. If that's your goal.

In reply to the Subject: I've honestly used Beast mode of hunting tight to bedding for (2) seasons. I have not personally killed a mature buck but I've had more sightings and encounters than any other approach. A friend of mine also killed one last year after I directed him to the spot. So, yes, it works very well in bow season for me/us!!

[Jimmy wallhanger]

Great thread, Im on year one and honestly my goal for this season is to see 1 buck in the swamp. That's it.

I like that this method of hunting mature bucks is very difficult and is requires alot of critical thinking and plain old hard work. I have always worked hard to get good at things that are very hard to do well, I became obsessed with golf and got very good at it but it took me a good 10 years to get to a 7 handicap.

I hope within 5 seasons I have two bucks on my wall. I also plan on going to Ohio yearly once I can cross the border, I love waffle house almost as much as hunting.

[funderburk]

I have a lot to learn, but for what it’s worth…

The biggest thing for me was learning to pay attention to the “not-so-sexy” details and to focus on the common themes that you hear or read from proven killers.

Things like clean access, learning thermals, and spending time picking the RIGHT tree don’t seem as “cool” as new gear or new camo. But they are absolutely the difference-makers. When I shifted my mindset and started being satisfied by those essentials, rather than new toys, things changed dramatically.

A lot of those essentials can be discovered by listening to the commonalities mentioned among killers. Ask them to break down their kills, break down your own mature buck kills, and write down every single detail you can, making note of all the commonalities that you discover. When approached with diligence and discipline, you will begin to discover the difference-makers.

And I assure you, as I’m learning myself: You don’t buy the difference-makers. You earn them.

[Edcyclopedia]

Started w/ BBO (Dan's old company) / Beasting it in 2007 (? - I think)...

MY GOAL:
-Giving myself opportunities @ +2.5 year old bucks.
-5 Year plan

MY PLAN:
-Scout 3X more than hunting
-Try and locate bedding
-More calculated stand approach/exiting
-Mobile hunting (2-3 sits max, unless warranted)
-More attention to wind & it's changing variables

RESULTS 2007-2013:
-Dozens of more hunting spots in 2 areas of NH (HOME > rural & CAMP > big woods)
-Figured out what & where bucks like for bedding (sort of, no 2 bucks are alike)
-I no longer have hang-ons, just a climber & LW w/sticks (lower impact)
-Wind 1st & approach 2nd (like PB & Jelly)
-Killed my 2 biggest bucks (95" & 105") ~ MY Trophies!!!
-Used to see 6-10/season, now 20-50/season (when I SCOUT ENOUGH!)

LESSONS LEARNED:
-HOT Sign rules
-Not all woods hold the bucks you see on TV/Vids and/or read about (regional or state or county) - tolls back to scouting...
-Having a resource to help your learning curve. I have a successful, local guy, to talk strategies with. He has kept me grounded to reality about bigger bucks in "my area".
-As well as a handful of Beasts that I admire/respect/like their styles, Stanley & I connected on numerous levels, he was a real gem!
-Know your limitations & make sure you don't frustrate yourself - MUST HAVE FUN & YES, HUNTING CAN BE HARD WORK, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE RECREATION / SPORT.
-Take kids/teens hunting and try to make sure it's fun for THEM, NOT YOU... Not all personalities are NOT the same (my kid loved THE CAN)

NOTABLES:
-Still love hunting, although, my frame of mind has changed to "more about the hunt & not the kill"
-2016 was a banner year. I had an opportunity @ 4-shooter bucks & a great black bear. MY Excuse - read my sig... NO kill, but my best year!
-I do like venison, which means I do like to kill other deer, if in the mood... Shifting between the challenge of "the goal" and the forefilment of packing my freezer, IS a choice I can make & not be disappointed.

[Hunter271995]

This is really awesome, everyones response to this. I am not surprised to see that most people have commented positive experiences. I'd also add, the numbers of other guys seem to point to what I am seeing, more mature deer for the area. Time for me to get off the computer and scout, but thanks to everyone who has replied. I think one thing I forgot to mention in the original post are goals. I would say beast hunting helps clarify what are my goals and it seems like most people here have experienced that too reading through the tread.

[Moose]

I'm on year 2 of beast hunting. Year one was a rude awaking for me on how I was taught to hunt vs beast style of hunting. With that said my 1st year I call a success because I saw more bucks due to setting up on fresh sign and pre scouting for bedding areas. This year I'm very confident compared to last year. Reading posts on the forum, asking questions and watch alot of bedding videos and YouTube videos is making everything alot clearer on what I need/should be doing. Anyone that sticks with this style of hunting will see success on a mature buck sooner or later compared to the guy sitting in the same preset stand all season.

[rfickes87]

Going into year 2 myself. Always was a climber guy couldn't stand sitting the same tree twice but I have learned that I had not been choosing my hunting locations in the most effective way. Biggest thing for me has been learning about bedding areas and figuring out how the deer use different properties. After following all the Beast tactics regarding scouting, it has been eye opening when you find beds/sign where they are " supposed to be" when in years past I would never think to check these spots due to just lack of experience. What keeps me going on these tactics is the drive to gain the confidence to be able to get on deer every sit and feel like every sit has the chance to make it happen. This off season I have spent by far the most time in the woods scouting in a much more effective and efficient way than any years past due to learning the Beast ways. I have developed a true passion for scouting and believe that will be a difference maker for my success rates. Definitely enjoying the learning curve which is a huge bonus. Hard work pays off, and that makes the hard work enjoyable for me. Seasons coming fast good luck everyone.

I'm in year 5 now. I can identify with you on everything you said. Especially that part where you feel every sit you're gonna kill. If I don't feel that, I'll just keep walking and scouting, I won't even climb up the tree. Hunting hot sign, next to bedding is such a rush of adrenaline each and every sit. Long gone are the days when I'd sit the same tree every year just because.

My first year was terrible. worst year ever had hunting. I'll admit I followed Dan's teachings but I tried to cut corners do things halfazz and I had become a worse hunter than was was before I found the beast. Year 2 I went 15 straight sits where I either saw deer or jumped them going in. I felt myself starting to learn how to get close and hunting the bedding. Year 3 I killed 2 dandy bucks on only 3 sits...one was out of state in Ohio. Year 3 was it for me...finally I was like yes I got it. All the spring scouting, all the online maps paid off and I did it all the right way, not halfazz. Last year I only hunted 10 times but passed a real nice 7 and an 8 because I was onto some giants but I didn't kill anything but It was a great season and very rewarding for me regardless. Who knows what'll happen this year I can't wait.

Can you describe what short cuts you took that were detrimental? This is my first year and I don’t feel like I have near enough boots on the ground scouting in. I’m going to try to get some more miles in this summer, but it’s tough with a young family.

Well, when I first started scouting it was summer 2016 when I found the beast. So I was out looking for beds. I immediately found them, right where Dan said they'd be and I was very curious about them. I put cameras on them and all around them (bad idea) because I wanted to see the bucks use them for myself. I found some great beds but I burned them all out by going in multiple times checking cameras with just a few weeks before the season started. Obviously spooking all the bucks but I was just so blown away at the awesome pictures of large mature bucks. I posted some pics of them since you are new, what the beds looked like and what the area they were bedding in looked like.

For a newbie like I was...can you imagine scouting and finding a buck bedding area like this just weeks before the season started and imagine how excited I got? this was public land, 200 yards from the parking lot on the downwind edge of an overgrown CRP field where no one walked to. Its actually only 60 yards from a hiking trail but the briars were too thick and too tall to allow anyone to bother these bucks. The day I scouted this and hung cameras my shirt/jeans were ripped and I was bleeding all over from swimming thru briars to get to this spot. Very difficult to access...just inside the woodline about 5-10 yards from the overground field.

Things I did right
-cyber scouting
-finding and overlooked edge/bedding area
-used historical Wunderground data to prove the bucks used this area on leeward winds. (ENE facing beds/transition, winds were all W or WSW) 0 pictures on E wind days.

things I did wrong
-scouted a bedding area repeatedly in late summer (this can still be done but I would only go in once)
-cameras were placed directly over beds when they should have been well off the beds and on exit trails
-I got way too excited and checked cameras at least 3 times in 4 weeks and totally contaminated that area with pressure and scent.
-never identified any exit trails to/from bedding to hunt over
-never picked a good access route for myself to sneak in on for a hunt
-I never even picked a tree to climb.

its embarrassing honestly now as I type this and think, how could i not even pick a tree to climb? I was just so worried about hanging cameras for some reason. Seeing the action from a camera made me believe it was a good spot even though the sign that was all right there should have told me, ex. big big rubs. big crap, big beds all over worn to the dirt with hair.

I attached some of these pictures just to show what the beds and what the area looked like. You can see multiple bucks rotated thru this bedding area. I had pics of that big crazy racked buck for 2 years and not one single pic of him ever again after I blew up this bedding area. There is a picture of him standing in the bed watching the hunter/hiker access trail!! crazy!

[RatMe]

This thread has turned into a really useful one. I like seeing the goals folks have set and the details with which people are evaluating themselves. This is a good reminder to me the tighten up some aspects up in the coming weeks. Thanks!

[szwampdonkey]

Been mobile hunting since the 80s before it was “a thing” or had a name. Never really thought there was anyone who wasnt mobile, still don’t really. Other than a guy that hunts rifle season opening weekend out of a single box blind every year everyone is mobile hunting, especially public land imo.

That being said i’ve noticed an increase in people hunting bedding not necessarily more mobile. This has pretty much ruined once good spots as guys with the “beast hunting” style in mind have awkwardly stumbled into these once ignored areas in increasing numbers which is defeating what they are trying to acclompish as one, two, three or more guys are now hunting these areas on a regular basis. I’m finding more trail cams, more cut branches, more stands left, and just more evidence of hunters in these spots than ever which of course pushes the deer out.

The name of the game has changed to hunting overlooked out of the way spots in SE WI now.

[tgreeno]

Been mobile hunting since the 80s before it was “a thing” or had a name. Never really thought there was anyone who wasnt mobile, still don’t really. Other than a guy that hunts rifle season opening weekend out of a single box blind every year everyone is mobile hunting, especially public land imo.

That being said i’ve noticed an increase in people hunting bedding not necessarily more mobile. This has pretty much ruined once good spots as guys with the “beast hunting” style in mind have awkwardly stumbled into these once ignored areas in increasing numbers which is defeating what they are trying to acclompish as one, two, three or more guys are now hunting these areas on a regular basis. I’m finding more trail cams, more cut branches, more stands left, and just more evidence of hunters in these spots than ever which of course pushes the deer out.

The name of the game has changed to hunting overlooked out of the way spots in SE WI now.

I agree...Overlooked seems like the key! Alot of young guys going in deep now.