In December 2013, I went Deer Hunting for the first time ever in Dalton, GA with a friend and that is where it all began. It was a buck only day and I had 3 does walk 20 yards in front of my stand.
In the spring of 2014, I setup a turkey hunt with a friend in North Carolina where I am from and called in a Hen my first time, but never saw a Tom or a Jake.
These two experiences made me realize the following: 1) I want to go hunting for the rest of my life; 2) I want to be able to hunt on my own and not have to rely on others to go hunting; and 3) My luck of seeing game every time I hunt would run out.
Therefore, I did my research and joined a hunt club in Cherokee/Pickens county where membership fees were very affordable but the downside was it had lots of members. For my first year on my own, I wasn't too concerned with joining an expensive club, but instead wanted something practical to learn on my own even if that meant learning the hard way. So with that said, allow me to share what I learned this year hunting on my own:
Quick Overview
- I need a truck year around instead of borrowing my dad's truck just for the season.
- Learning the property means much more than just knowing how to navigate the roads and not getting lost.
- Scouting before the season is a must.
- Waking up earlier than everyone else means you get your preferred hunting spot.
- If your not getting results, try something new.
I could probably write a book with everything I learned in just one deer season, but I'll try to keep it short. Let me elaborate a little more on the above.
- I have only owned Subaru WRXs my entire life. Driving my dad's 2000 Chevy Silverado for a few months taught me that a truck is the ultimate vehicle. Although I have always been used to having AWD vehicles, you can't compare the ground clearance, off road capabilities, and convenience of just throwing a gutted deer in the back of the truck and leaving it out in the rain to wash itself. Plus, the Silverado has 297K miles on it and runs just as smooth as my car. Trucks will last.
- Learning the property and knowing all that it has to offer is a must. With the help of my friends who have hunted their entire lives, I learned that you got to know where the water and food sources are. Find the hardwoods and creeks using Google Maps and study the aerial views. The hardwoods will stick out on the aerial satellite views since it will look like colorful broccoli rather than rows of pine trees. This will help you to pick decent hunting spots and help you get going in the right direction. Before this, I was just hunting the same old box stand over and over in a cleared path surrounded by pine trees hoping my chances of seeing anything were getting better with each passing day.
- After learning the property by driving around and studying aerials, you got to get boots on the ground and scout in advance of the season. I had no clue what to look for so I learned late that I had to read and google image what Scrapes and Rubs look like, deer scat, bedding areas, white oak trees, different kinds of oak leaves, deer behavior, food plots, etc. Trail Cams are also a must and if you can afford it, might be worth while to get two.
- If you hunt a WMA or maybe you have a club with lots of members and have to worry if you will see a truck in your spot, waking up early will help. I thought I would see everyone and their mother out on opening day so I decided to get out 1 hr and 20 mins before the sunrise and sure enough, I was the first through the gate. After setting up my first time, I realized most hunters don't start driving in till 30 mins before sunrise and it was funny to see those who were running late speed in through the club because they woke up late. After I learned the behavior and pattern of the other hunters in my club, I started showing up 45 mins before sunrise so I would beat them by 15 mins.
- I mentioned earlier I was hunting the same box stand over and over. After not seeing anything for 3 weekends in a row, I decided to get down and walk the surrounding area just out of curiosity and boredom. By doing this, I found tracks leading in the opposite direction of my stand, deer scat, and found that the tracks led to a valley filled with hardwoods. After sharing this experience with my hunting friends, I was told about "Still" hunting rather than "Stand" hunting. So I decided to give that a try one morning after I had sat in a chair on the ground for two hours. As i started my still hunt, I would take 4-5 steps a minute, no joke. The whole point is to take your time so you can observe your surroundings, play the wind, and hope to stumble across a deer. Sure enough! After 30 mins, I came across 2 does that were running around and feeding. These were the first deer I had seen at my club and couldn't believe Still Hunting worked. I ended up moving in closer with 30 yards and took a knee, but couldn't get a clear shot. The closest doe within range was behind some trees and started walking away up a hill and the only clear shot I had was from behind. I tried grunting, using a doe bleat, anything to make her turn around, but nothing worked. She walked over the top of the hill and that was it. Point is, Still Hunting worked when sitting in a stand and having the deer come to you clearly did not. So try something new, it can't hurt.
Overall, there is no better way than to learn yourself. The knowledge you gain from first hand experience sinks in much more than what you read on forums. However, once you have that foundation of first hand experience, you will then be in position to understand the tips you get from Pros and forums. I may not have had any luck this deer season, but, I am in a much better position for 2015 and am confident I'll be doing the right things to increase my chances.
I hope that my somewhat short recap of 2014 can help anyone out there trying to get into hunting to just go for it or even perhaps show the importance of sharing this tradition with family or friends. Thanks
In the spring of 2014, I setup a turkey hunt with a friend in North Carolina where I am from and called in a Hen my first time, but never saw a Tom or a Jake.
These two experiences made me realize the following: 1) I want to go hunting for the rest of my life; 2) I want to be able to hunt on my own and not have to rely on others to go hunting; and 3) My luck of seeing game every time I hunt would run out.
Therefore, I did my research and joined a hunt club in Cherokee/Pickens county where membership fees were very affordable but the downside was it had lots of members. For my first year on my own, I wasn't too concerned with joining an expensive club, but instead wanted something practical to learn on my own even if that meant learning the hard way. So with that said, allow me to share what I learned this year hunting on my own:
Quick Overview
- I need a truck year around instead of borrowing my dad's truck just for the season.
- Learning the property means much more than just knowing how to navigate the roads and not getting lost.
- Scouting before the season is a must.
- Waking up earlier than everyone else means you get your preferred hunting spot.
- If your not getting results, try something new.
I could probably write a book with everything I learned in just one deer season, but I'll try to keep it short. Let me elaborate a little more on the above.
- I have only owned Subaru WRXs my entire life. Driving my dad's 2000 Chevy Silverado for a few months taught me that a truck is the ultimate vehicle. Although I have always been used to having AWD vehicles, you can't compare the ground clearance, off road capabilities, and convenience of just throwing a gutted deer in the back of the truck and leaving it out in the rain to wash itself. Plus, the Silverado has 297K miles on it and runs just as smooth as my car. Trucks will last.
- Learning the property and knowing all that it has to offer is a must. With the help of my friends who have hunted their entire lives, I learned that you got to know where the water and food sources are. Find the hardwoods and creeks using Google Maps and study the aerial views. The hardwoods will stick out on the aerial satellite views since it will look like colorful broccoli rather than rows of pine trees. This will help you to pick decent hunting spots and help you get going in the right direction. Before this, I was just hunting the same old box stand over and over in a cleared path surrounded by pine trees hoping my chances of seeing anything were getting better with each passing day.
- After learning the property by driving around and studying aerials, you got to get boots on the ground and scout in advance of the season. I had no clue what to look for so I learned late that I had to read and google image what Scrapes and Rubs look like, deer scat, bedding areas, white oak trees, different kinds of oak leaves, deer behavior, food plots, etc. Trail Cams are also a must and if you can afford it, might be worth while to get two.
- If you hunt a WMA or maybe you have a club with lots of members and have to worry if you will see a truck in your spot, waking up early will help. I thought I would see everyone and their mother out on opening day so I decided to get out 1 hr and 20 mins before the sunrise and sure enough, I was the first through the gate. After setting up my first time, I realized most hunters don't start driving in till 30 mins before sunrise and it was funny to see those who were running late speed in through the club because they woke up late. After I learned the behavior and pattern of the other hunters in my club, I started showing up 45 mins before sunrise so I would beat them by 15 mins.
- I mentioned earlier I was hunting the same box stand over and over. After not seeing anything for 3 weekends in a row, I decided to get down and walk the surrounding area just out of curiosity and boredom. By doing this, I found tracks leading in the opposite direction of my stand, deer scat, and found that the tracks led to a valley filled with hardwoods. After sharing this experience with my hunting friends, I was told about "Still" hunting rather than "Stand" hunting. So I decided to give that a try one morning after I had sat in a chair on the ground for two hours. As i started my still hunt, I would take 4-5 steps a minute, no joke. The whole point is to take your time so you can observe your surroundings, play the wind, and hope to stumble across a deer. Sure enough! After 30 mins, I came across 2 does that were running around and feeding. These were the first deer I had seen at my club and couldn't believe Still Hunting worked. I ended up moving in closer with 30 yards and took a knee, but couldn't get a clear shot. The closest doe within range was behind some trees and started walking away up a hill and the only clear shot I had was from behind. I tried grunting, using a doe bleat, anything to make her turn around, but nothing worked. She walked over the top of the hill and that was it. Point is, Still Hunting worked when sitting in a stand and having the deer come to you clearly did not. So try something new, it can't hurt.
Overall, there is no better way than to learn yourself. The knowledge you gain from first hand experience sinks in much more than what you read on forums. However, once you have that foundation of first hand experience, you will then be in position to understand the tips you get from Pros and forums. I may not have had any luck this deer season, but, I am in a much better position for 2015 and am confident I'll be doing the right things to increase my chances.
I hope that my somewhat short recap of 2014 can help anyone out there trying to get into hunting to just go for it or even perhaps show the importance of sharing this tradition with family or friends. Thanks
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