When did things click?

[CEG017]

I am hoping to hear some stories/advice from when you "got things figured out." What I mean by this is what did you start paying attention to or started doing differently that increased your success? Could be large or small details and for big bucks or just deer in general. Hoping to have a good conversation!

[Exophysical]

Being a bush hunter, for me it was probably different than most. I cant remember the actual year, but two things happened, I decided to never sit in a stand ever again, and I realised that the topography was far more important than the clearings and vegitation in terms of locating deer.

I'd been shooting most of my deer stillhunting, but I knew I was mostly just getting lucky. I'd built a blind and sat in it the first morning of the season, I saw nothing and ended up getting just real cold and bored. The next day I went stillhunting on a steep ridge, at some point I noticed this wierd dark blotch showing through a thicket about 10 yards from me. I was trying to figure out what it was when a puff of wind caused the hair on it to flutter... it was a cow moose with a calf. She went up the ridge and I went down, 100 yards further I saw two more moose, one was a bull and I had a tag but he was behind another cow and I never got a shot. I decided right then and there I was going to concentrate on stillhunting and tracking.

Earlyer that year I had read an online article written by a guy in SC, and in his opinion bush hunting was all about topography. This knowlege had been sitting right in front of my face for years, I knew it, but I'd still been holding on to the convention of treating clearings as if they were crop fields, and basing my hunting on that. That season I just forgot about clearings and stand hunting, concentrated solely on stillhunting and topography, and things took right off. That was also the last season I ever hunted agricultural areas, once I started to figure out bush hunting I just lost interest in hunting anything else.

I later went on a tracking binge for a couple seasons which taught me alot, then I had two Novembers with no snow. Those seasons really forced me to refine my stillhunting strategy, and the next year when we had better conditions it was working so well that I gravitated back to stillhunting. I now only track when conditions are perfect and I find a huge track early in the day. About that time I came up with my "Ridge and an Edge" formula, recognised the value of treating clear cuts as if they are massive obsticals, and finding deer concentrations became exponetialy easyer. I still learn new stuff every year, every time out really, but that first season where I turned my back on conventional methods was the turning point.

[briar]

Never. I doubt it ever will. At least for me hunting each season is an evolving process that pretty much starts at square one each year. Of course you learn new things and have more information, but application when hunting new places and new deer changes things.

I was much like the OP and I was looking for a formula to success. This formula doesn't exist. What does exist is following a good set of principals and applying them as your season unfolds. There are so many situations and changes year to year that applying any consistent plan and executing it is nearly impossible.

Things I know are that the people who are the best at this game follow sound basics, are adaptable, are aggressive...and most of all love the process. This helps them not get sick of the process on the way to the goal.

[Boogieman1]

Without a doubt the biggest game changer for me was learning how to effectively scout in the post season. Up til then I heard about scouting and spent lots of hours in the woods after each season.

But being truthful I didn’t know what I was supposed to be looking for. Basically went on nature walks. I might have seen a rub or tracks and said eww look at that! But I didn’t know how to put all the little pieces together to see the big picture and get an arrow in something.

When I started figuring it out it became more fun and I did more of it. Success soon followed

[Lockdown]

Things clicked when I decided to let the deer in my area teach me, rather than let other people tell me what I was suppose to find.

The variables are infinite, and no two scenarios are identical. No two regions or states are identical either.

So when I realized that this was going to be a long process, that’s when I started to slow down, grow, and understand what I was seeing. Another major turning point was when I stopped assuming I knew what certain sign and trails were. I learned to verify things with my own eyes instead of guessing or try to relate it back to what I read on the forum.

The forum is an EXCELLENT tool. But the information you find here is best used as a guide. Don’t consider it gospel.

Make your own hypothesis and prove/disprove it through first hand experience. That is how you create your own recipe for success. And that’s when things will click. It takes hundreds of miles walked and many seasons…

[Bentstraight]

Things clicked when I decided to let the deer in my area teach me, rather than let other people tell me what I was suppose to find.

The variables are infinite, and no two scenarios are identical. No two regions or states are identical either.

So when I realized that this was going to be a long process, that’s when I started to slow down, grow, and understand what I was seeing. Another major turning point was when I stopped assuming I knew what certain sign and trails were. I learned to verify things with my own eyes instead of guessing or try to relate it back to what I read on the forum.

The forum is an EXCELLENT tool. But the information you find here is best used as a guide. Don’t consider it gospel.

Make your own hypothesis and prove/disprove it through first hand experience. That is how you create your own recipe for success. And that’s when things will click. It takes hundreds of miles walked and many seasons…

This right here....

[seazofcheeze]

3 Words. In Season Scouting.

Think of it like this. There are give or take 30 major league ball parks in the U.S. Post season scouting helps you identify the ballparks (where the deer are likely to be). But those ball parks are empty half the season when the home team is away (or when crop rotation, hunting pressure, or any number of other factors push deer out of what should be a good area (ballpark)). In season scouting, puts you in a ballpark when and where there are games going on. Experience helps you get to homeplate.

[Stingray713]

3 Words. In Season Scouting.

Think of it like this. There are give or take 30 major league ball parks in the U.S. Post season scouting helps you identify the ballparks (where the deer are likely to be). But those ball parks are empty half the season when the home team is away (or when crop rotation, hunting pressure, or any number of other factors push deer out of what should be a good area (ballpark)). In season scouting, puts you in a ballpark when and where there are games going on. Experience helps you get to homeplate.

Well put

[Dewey]

Things started clicking when I stopped hunting for deer and instead hunted for mature bucks. Two totally different approaches to hunting. Older bucks require a totally different mindset. After years of seeing tons of deer and killing a bunch of smaller bucks that was admittedly a very hard transition for me to make. It didn’t take long for me to realize I enjoyed quality much better than quantity.

Took awhile to sink in but after completely changing how I hunted and starting to think like an old buck my better buck sightings increased dramatically. I know I reached a better place when I almost immediately stopped seeing tiny bucks and antlerless deer. Instead I was seeing shooters on a regular basis. Hunting bedding areas was the gold nugget I was looking for and the key to opening up a whole new world of hunting for me.

[oldrank]

I dont think it was a one time moment. There are many different moments that taught me. Accumulation of knowledge has formed a steady progression.

There have been key points though.

Understanding my weapon and gear. I never underestimate the importance of being at one with your weapon. If your gear isn't dialed in and you don't know your ranges you will struggle.

Going mobile. I started out mobile some what. My youth was spent ground hunting. When I switched to public land hunting in the mid 90s I started with hang on stands. After getting stands destroyed or stolen I bought a climber. My kills went up instantly.

Educate yourself.. I had a thirst for knowledge, ended up here and again my success has went up. Books, YouTube, magazines, and any other source of information has helped also.

Time in the woods... this is probably number 1. Learning my hunting areas in and out has always been a huge key to success.

[pfrizelleSC]

Things clicked when I decided to let the deer in my area teach me, rather than let other people tell me what I was suppose to find.

The variables are infinite, and no two scenarios are identical. No two regions or states are identical either.

So when I realized that this was going to be a long process, that’s when I started to slow down, grow, and understand what I was seeing. Another major turning point was when I stopped assuming I knew what certain sign and trails were. I learned to verify things with my own eyes instead of guessing or try to relate it back to what I read on the forum.

The forum is an EXCELLENT tool. But the information you find here is best used as a guide. Don’t consider it gospel.

Make your own hypothesis and prove/disprove it through first hand experience. That is how you create your own recipe for success. And that’s when things will click. It takes hundreds of miles walked and many seasons…

[Boogieman1]

3 Words. In Season Scouting.

Think of it like this. There are give or take 30 major league ball parks in the U.S. Post season scouting helps you identify the ballparks (where the deer are likely to be). But those ball parks are empty half the season when the home team is away (or when crop rotation, hunting pressure, or any number of other factors push deer out of what should be a good area (ballpark)). In season scouting, puts you in a ballpark when and where there are games going on. Experience helps you get to homeplate.

I’m certainly glad there is more than one way to skin a cat or I would be completely screwed For the sake of conversation I have my differences of opinion. For one I’m not playing the ballpark. I don’t care if the centerfield wall was blue last year and we had a different blend of grass. Whether I’m on the mound or standing at the plate my scouting shows tendencies. If the pitcher is a first pitch strike kinda guy it’s much easier to T-off when you know what’s coming.

In the deer hunting world I’ve never witnessed either by cams or tree time of any buck doing the same thing day after day after day. I realize whitetails are not the same everywhere just speaking on what I witness. But u gotta get out in front of the suckers. In season scouting is a great way to constantly keep you behind him in my woods.

Just saying I go against the gospel and hunt stands repeatedly. I see bucks make rubs/scrapes and never see them again. Not sure exactly what that fresh sign would produce after he walked away. The buck I killed this year came through one time last year in the middle of the night. Killed him this year standing in the very spot 13hrs from when he showed last year. I just can’t wrap my head around how in season scouting would have let me arrow this buck.

[seazofcheeze]

3 Words. In Season Scouting.

Think of it like this. There are give or take 30 major league ball parks in the U.S. Post season scouting helps you identify the ballparks (where the deer are likely to be). But those ball parks are empty half the season when the home team is away (or when crop rotation, hunting pressure, or any number of other factors push deer out of what should be a good area (ballpark)). In season scouting, puts you in a ballpark when and where there are games going on. Experience helps you get to homeplate.

I’m certainly glad there is more than one way to skin a cat or I would be completely screwed For the sake of conversation I have my differences of opinion. For one I’m not playing the ballpark. I don’t care if the centerfield wall was blue last year and we had a different blend of grass. Whether I’m on the mound or standing at the plate my scouting shows tendencies. If the pitcher is a first pitch strike kinda guy it’s much easier to T-off when you know what’s coming.

In the deer hunting world I’ve never witnessed either by cams or tree time of any buck doing the same thing day after day after day. I realize whitetails are not the same everywhere just speaking on what I witness. But u gotta get out in front of the suckers. In season scouting is a great way to constantly keep you behind him in my woods.

Just saying I go against the gospel and hunt stands repeatedly. I see bucks make rubs/scrapes and never see them again. Not sure exactly what that fresh sign would produce after he walked away. The buck I killed this year came through one time last year in the middle of the night. Killed him this year standing in the very spot 13hrs from when he showed last year. I just can’t wrap my head around how in season scouting would have let me arrow this buck.

Let me start with, I agree with a lot of what you said. Let me back up. If I am tackling new terrain, I definitely want to scout it in the post-season. That helps me narrow down the country to the ballparks (cross off 90% of the unproductive areas). But I can't tell if there will be apples or acorns in certain areas in March or April. I can't tell if ag fields will be beans, corn, or wheat. I also can't tell if that ballpark has a bunch of minor leaguers (young bucks) or a Barry Bonds type buck...unless I cut a giant track in the spring (again, I was referencing mostly new terrain, as that is what I have been dealing with out west past 3 seasons).

Going back to more than one way to skin a cat, I have killed my top 3 bucks all in very similar fashion. I spotted them the day before either scouting or still hunting, and I killed them the next day. For me, my absolute favorite in season scouting piece of info is an observation of a target animal. Do I expect him to do the EXACT same thing the next day? No, I agree with you there, that's definitely the exception, rather than the rule. Outside of the rut (or during the rut if he is locked down with a doe), do I believe there is a fairly good chance that he will be in a relatively small area very near where I saw him the day before? 100% yes.

[Bucky]

Location first, topography/aerial second, access third and a no quit attitude

[Jackson Marsh]

I stumble around like a drunken monkey and am not sure when it will click. I spend year after year scouting local properties and often only get on 2 yo bucks. I scouted a new property in a different part of the state and first hunt in killed a 130 inch buck....