Nov 11
16
Whitetail Buck Video
Check out this whitetail buck video! If you like that one, be sure to watch Whitetail Tacitcs’ “Deer Stand Video”
Posted in Deer Hunting Videos Trail Camera Pictures by .
Watch as this one-eyed 8 point whitetail buck narrowly escapes being hit by my arrow. He ducks just in the nick of time, almost like he’s got some sort of sixth sense. Maybe next time!
If you liked that hunting video, check out Deer Stand Videos.
Posted in Deer Hunting Videos Trail Camera Pictures by .
Oct 11
26
Whitetail Tactics Deer Hunting Video
This should get you excited to go deer hunting.
Posted in Deer Hunting Videos Trail Camera Pictures Uncategorized by .
Oct 11
22
Deer Stand Hunting Video
Here’s a view you’ll wish you had from your deer hunting stand. Whitetail bucks, does and fawns. Includes a flock of wild turkeys, a family of 4 bears and even a wolf. The next best thing to actually being in your deer stand.
Posted in Deer Hunting Videos Trail Camera Pictures Uncategorized by .
Oct 11
22
Buck Trail Camera Pictures
Some bucks are finally starting to show up on the trail camera. A nice 8 pointer and a fork.
Posted in Trail Camera Pictures by .
Oct 11
20
Deer Stand Video
Here’s a deer hunting video that’s kind of fun to watch. Lots’s of action with sime trail camera shots of what you’re missing out on. Watch as I take a shot at an 8 point buck!
Posted in Deer Hunting Videos Trail Camera Pictures by .
Oct 11
17
Trail Camera Pictures 10/16
Pretty interesting week at the trail camera. No big bucks here yet. Maybe next week. As far as deer, a couple whitetail does and fawns came in on a regular basis. There’s also a wolf,a family of 4 bears and a flock of turkeys that came through. We’ve seen a few wolves before, but this is the first time getting a picture of one. They really can’t be helping the deer poplulation much. Photos taken near Minong, Wisconsin. Double click on the pictures to make them bigger.
Posted in Trail Camera Pictures by .
Whitetail bucks, grow their antlers and act differently during the rutting season. They scrape and rub their antlers on trees, shrubs and just about anything they come across with. Scrapes and rubs are very similar.
In addition to marking his territory, the buck will often chew tree branches above the scrape area which adds even more of his scent. Finding a scrape is not necessarily a sign from above to immediately start hunting the area. You need to be sure that it is still active and not a scrape that was made during last years rut.
You’ll need to see if the buck comes back and marks it again. This would be a good time to use your game camera to check on activity in the area. Many whitetail hunters rely on these scrapes to get the big Bucks.
To be able to find them however, you should never get tired of scouting for these scrapes and rubs. This will enable you to prepare before the hunting season comes. Finding these areas indicates that you can place your stand along these areas which will give you a better chance of bagging your trophy whitetail.
When indeed you manage to find these scrapes and have chosen the spot where to place your stand, you should now make sure that you know the trail to and from it thoroughly. Discussing these terminologies are quite easy for deer hunters since they are familiar with most hunting terms. For the beginners however, below are the definitions of the following:
Rubs – these are located at the tree’s base. It may be one to four feet from the tree’s base depending on how big the tree is. The taller the rub that you will find, the bigger the deer is. A rub is the result of a buck rubbing his velvet from its mineral grown chandelier as well as the scent it left on the tree from the glands near its antlers’ base. This happens during the rutting season and the period immediately before the rut.
Scrapes – these are patches of ground which are the result of the scraping of hooves of the deer. These patches are usually one foot in diameter. When the buck does this, it is in effect creating its territory. During the rutting period, the buck thrusts its hips forward and thereafter urinates on the said patch. Urinating on the patch in effect makes the buck leave its territorial scent where only the stronger and bigger bucks may pose a challenge. This territorial patch may be claimed not only by the more dominant buck but also others traveling in the same area and which may also leave their scents there to claim the territory.
Licking Branches – these can generally be found over scrapes. What usually happens is that the bucks will scrape at the ground and will then stand on its back hooves. He will then rub his face on the surrounding branch and lick them as a sign of securing his territory.
Some of the tactics that may prove to be useful in relation to these are the following:
Rubs are commonly found in small trees that are about three to four inches round, usually in a hardwood patch.Though the scrapes and the rubs are usually found to hand in hand, it does not necessarily happen all the time. Finding a rub without a scrape means that what you actually found is the buck’s sex road map.It is ideal to look for branches that are about 4 to 6 feet off the ground or under them if you are looking for scrapes and rubs when scouting.
If a scrape is found, pick the most beat up and what you feel to be the best one.Be sure not to get too close and step on the scrape so that your scent will not be left on it.
Posted in Deer Hunting Tips Whitetail Deer Hunting Tactics by .
I want to take some time today and talk about some tips for hunting the whitetail deer rut. Deer hunting is not as easy as shooting fish in a barrel and takes some skill to do.
The rut is made up of three stages — the pre-rut, the peak rut and the post-rut. During the pre-rut period, which is during the fall, the bucks are beginning to be more antagonistic and their group starts breaking up.
The antlers of the male deer start to harden and the bucks begin rubbing them on trees or shrubs. They will then start challenging other bucks and become more aggressive. During this time, numerous rubs and scrapes are created and shallow depressions and bare patches are created as they paw on the ground. Their scents are left in the scrapes to attract does. When the does are ready to breed and after being able to investigate the scrapes made, they may urinate on the scrapes made by the buck as a signal for him.
As a few does start to come into heat, the intensity level heightens and the scrape and rub activities increase dramatically.
During this period, you should hunt any chance you get. Work fresh scrapes and rubs for the big bucks. Hunters will usually have a short time span of approximately 7to 10 days to kill a dominant buck before the majority of does come into heat.
The rutting season has begun when the does, go into estrus, or heat, which lasts only about 24 to 36 hours. Not all does do not go into estrus at exactly the same time. Also, if the doe is not bred during the time she is in heat, she will recycle in 21-30 days. This is the main reason the rut period may last for as much as 3 months. During the peak of the rut approximately 1/3 of the does will be bred in the period of one week.
It is during the rutting period, when bucks are less cautious and are quite preoccupied looking for a receptive doe that the chance of bagging your trophy whitetail is never better. During the post-rut period, the bucks’ scraping and rubbing stops. They can no longer find a doe in estrus and their hormone levels also decrease. It is your best bet to make the most of your hunting time during the pre-rut and rutting season.
Let’s take a look at some common tips that you can use during the whitetail rutting period. We’re going to talk about things like Deer Calling, Deer Decoying, Scents and Deer Rattling.
Deer Rattling:
Rattling is the sound made by two bucks fighting when they rattle their antlers against each other.
Hunters are divided when it comes to rattling as a tactic in deer hunting. Either the hunter has complete confidence in it or finds it to be utterly useless to the point of just being a gimmick. The fact is, rattling does work. However, it does not work all the time.
The first that you should realize about rattling is that it works anytime during the rut. However it works best during pre-rut when Deer are the most aggressive. It is also important to remember that rattling is most effective when you see the deer before it sees you. Deer can hear rattling over longer distances and over wind noise better than other types of calls.
The technique of rattling is a type of deer calling that involves the use of two sets of antlers, usually artificial ones, which will be handled by a person who may be assisting the hunter while he hides in the bushes. The person will then rattle against each other the two sets of antlers giving the effect of two bucks fighting over an estrus doe. The goal it to have the buck along the area to hear the antlers and have them come and check out what the ruckus is all about.
Many believe that it is best to rattle little than do it gingerly since it may create the illusion to big bucks that smaller bucks are the ones sparring and may come forward thinking that it can easily defeat them. Also, loud rattling may just spook the deer instead of attracting it.Rattling is a good and working whitetail-hunting tactic but it has to be given a chance to work
Deer do not come out to join a fight just anytime. Much of this will happen depending on the deer’s mood, the environment, the date, the season, the conditions and the surroundings among others.The ideal spots for rattling are those that provide plenty of cover. The site should also be able to allow for enough open space where the whitetail can cross and for the hunters can have a better shot.
Deer Calling:
When making use of deer calling to hunt for that trophy whitetail, the key is to make sure that the calling tactics and strategy match the specific whitetail behavior during the time you are doing your hunt. To use an analogy, dear calling is like greeting somebody “Merry Christmas” during Christmas. It should coincide with the times. You do not say “Happy New Year” to somebody when what you are celebrating is the fourth of July. There are four common types of deer calls that are proven to be effective in attracting the buck. However, these four deer calls cannot be used interchangeably or simultaneously. As was already said, you should be able to know when to use what deer call.
Types of Deer Calls
Grunting– this is done to challenge the big buck’s dominance. Hearing grunts, which indicates the aggression of a buck towards another one, in a territory that it considers to be its own will have him coming out immediately.
- The most common deer call is the grunt, or sometimes know as the buck grunt. Bucks are territorial and by using a grunt call you are announcing the presence of a challenger in that particular area. This call is best used during the pre rut phase.
- The tending grunt is a sound made as the buck trails a doe and is his way of asking the doe to stop so they can breed. Make a series of 10-15 short grunts with your deer grunt call to mimic the tending grunt.
Bleating– Bleating is the sound made by does and fawns. This is their way to contact each other or to indicate distress or request for help. Does also make this call to express social relations, to allow the buck to know its location and also to give a sound of distress.
- The fawn bleat is usually made by fawns that have gotten lost or in danger. Does will instinctively run to this sound even if it is not their own fawn. This works good for bringing does in closer, but during the rut a buck could be hot on her tail!
- Doe Estrus Bleat – This non-aggressive call is made by does when they are in heat. This sound is made by the does to tell the bucks that it’s time to breed. This sound is best used at the end of the pre rut through the first part of the rut.
There is no one deer call to use and it usually depends on which rut phase you are hunting. There are usually general guidelines you can follow when making any calls. For all bucks, you can usually use any kind of grunts that are usually used. For any deer though, you should be using low or social grunts and young bucks you should be using distress calls.
Scents:
One of the most effective ways to hunt for a whitetail is the use of scents to attract the deer. This is effective due to the excellent sense of smell of the deer. This however goes both ways. With a highly sensitive sense of smell, the deer manage to easily smell an approaching hunter. This immediately drives it away that makes the hunter lose his chance of bagging his buck. On the other hand, this good smell may be used to the advantage of the hunter. Knowing that they could easily smell the scents around them, the deer hunter will then be able have the deer smell the scents it wants in order for it to come closer to the hunter’s stand.
With regards to these scents, both artificial and genuine scents coming from chemicals and actual deer scents are available for purchase by the hunter. Many companies are now producing these scents particularly for this purpose. These scents will then be placed on the body of the hunter to eliminate his own smell that could alert the deer. Even the clothes you choose to wear should be washed with a perfume-free and dye-free detergent to allow the elimination of the odors. Cover scents may also be used on your clothes to mask your own odor from the deer.
One of the most, if not the most effective scents in bagging that prized buck is the urine of the doe in heat. This is highly effective during the rutting season where the deer are in sexual heat. You can purchase it at most any sporting goods store. Hang the drag of urine on a branch of a tree as you enter the woods and proceed to your chosen site. Make sure it is hung on a spot that is in clear view. Once the deer approaches it, the drag will lure the deer into your view while it searches for the scent.
It is a wise move to dab the urine from an estrus doe to a tree trunk that is near you and within your shooting range. Estrus does can only be found during the rutting season where they are in an ovulation stage and highly impregnable. It is during this time that bucks are in search for them and the urine will drive them straight to you. What is good about finding a buck that was lured by the doe urine you dabbed on the tree is that it will surely be in a state of confusion and catching or shooting is a much easier task than during other hunting seasons.
Deer Decoys:
Using decoys is also another effective way to increase your hunting success. Placing them close to the edge of a field or opening may just be the extra incentive for the monster buck you’ve been hoping for to come in. Make sure you are properly concealed. Also avoid getting a human or non habitat smell to It may be a good idea to bring them in when you are done hunting for the day to avoid having your decoy attacked by a rutting buck!
In the end I hope you enjoyed some of these tips and that you can put them to use. Good luck on your next hunting trip and go out and bag the big buck you’ve been dreaming about.
Posted in Deer Hunting Tips Whitetail Deer Hunting Tactics by .
by Chris Jackson
In many states, bow hunting season starts in August and goes all the way through the rest of the year. That gives a bow hunter a lot of time to hunt, but there are also lots of species that he may choose to pursue as well. Of all time throughout the late summer, fall, and early winter, early season bow hunting can be some of the most productive, as well as comfortable. Here we will discuss some early season bow hunting tips.
Whether you are bow hunting early season whitetail, mule deer, blacktail, or elk, early season gives you a good advantage over other seasons throughout the year.
You are the hunting first pressure these animals will see for the year.
You will have all summer to scout and pattern the animals.
You will be competing with only other early season bow hunters so you won’t have any long range competition.
A lot of people associate bow hunting with cold fall days and don’t even bother with the early season, meaning less competition overall.
Below is a list of early season bow hunting tips and tactics that will help you be more success full.
Scouting:
One of the main benefits you will have as an early season bow hunter is the fact that you will have plenty of time to pattern the bucks which should keep that pattern well into September. If you can figure out when and where they go on a daily basis, then you can intercept them by putting up some type of stand, either a tree stand or ground blind, and then wait for them to come by.
When scouting for early season bow hunting, there are several good methods to use.
Morning and evening outings to a point where you can view deer hotspots without disturbing them is a great way to see what is on your early season bow hunting area and will give you good tips and clues as to when and where the deer are going, and the paths they are taking to get there.
Trail cameras are a very helpful tool to both tell you what type of animals will be there for your early bow hunting season and gives you tips on where to set your stand up.
If you are planning on a spot and stalk deer hunt, then scouting is necessary as you need to know where the biggest bucks are hanging out. That way when the early bow hunting season comes, you will know where to look so you can have multiple stalk opportunities throughout the early season, which may lead to success. One early season bow hunting tip for spot and stalk hunters is to have several shooter bucks located, because it may take several blown stalks before you are successful. The average is about a 1/6 success ratio.
Buck are usually more confident during the summer and early bow hunting season and not near as nocturnal. A smart buck that only moves at night during the fall will usually stay out in day light for the first hour or two in the mornings and come out an hour before dark. This will help in your scouting efforts and should give you some early season bow hunting confidence.
Patterning Bucks
Throughout the summer season, deer and elk are mainly focused on feeding. They are not worried about male dominance or breeding does. This means deer will have set paths they are taking to and from their bedding, feeding and watering areas. All three areas are equally important and can be utilized for success while early season bow hunting.
A stand can be placed to take advantage of any of these three target areas. While placing the stand directly at water or feeding area can be very effective, one early season bow hunting tip is to not put a stand at a bedding area, but rather on a main trail to and from the bedding area. The last thing you want to do is disrupt a buck’s bedding area regardless of what season it is as this could drastically change the buck’s pattern or make him leave the area to another spot he feels more secure.
Spot and Stalk Hunting
Another method that can be very effective for early season bow hunting is spot and stalk. Though this is a preferred method typically used for mule deer, it can also be used successfully for whitetail and elk.
During the early bow hunting season, deer will occasionally bed down in the open where they are visible from far away. Even big, mature whitetail will do this, and they happen to be the easiest to spot. Standing crops and CRP (tall grass) is a great place to look as the deer will bed down right in them due to the fact it keeps them nice and cool.
An early season bow hunting tip is to glass these areas and look for a rack protruding out of the vegetation. Once found, this creates an ideal situation to put on a spot and stalk if the conditions are right. In this case, wind is your best friend. If you play it right, the wind will carry your scent away from the deer and will also cover up any noise you make. It is best to approach the deer from behind, but sometimes they are facing the wrong direction. The main thing is to keep the wind blowing your scent away from the deer. It is possible to approach the deer head on if this is your only option, but will require a lot of belly crawling.
Once you get to within range of your target buck, it is best to wait until the deer stands up on its own. Then you will be able to take a shot with your bow on a relaxed deer. If the wind begins to swirl and you are scared you may get winded soon, then it may be necessary to coax the deer to his feet. You can do this be making grunt sounds, or if there is a rock around, you can throw it to get the deer focused on a different location other than yours own.
Another good scenario for early season bow hunting, especially with mule deer, is when a buck beds down below a cliff in the shade. In this case it is possible to sneak right over the top of the buck without them ever knowing you are there. Again, it is best to be patient and wait for them to stand on their own, but aggressive action may be taken if the situation warrants it.
An early season bow hunting tip for spot and stalk hunting is to wait to stock until the conditions are right. This means usually waiting for the wind to pick up and get steady, or change direction all together. Light winds do not do much to cover up noise and they typically blow in variable directions. As the day warms up, the wind will typically increase. That is why it is best to just watch the deer and wait for conditions to improve
Scent Control:
One benefit of early season bow hunting is the mild temperatures. The downfall is it can get hot. Even when temperatures are normal, in the early season it is very easy to sweat, and sweat stinks more to the nose of a deer or elk.
There are ways to minimize your scent even in warm temperatures, which brings us to another early season bow hunting tip. Bow hunting means getting close to your prey undetected. Due to the fact that you cannot stop you body from perspiring, it is extremely beneficial to wear scent prevention clothing. Of course most scent prevention clothing is very warm due to the nature of the clothing. Lucky for us early season bow hunter, there is some scent prevention gear for warm weather. We will talk more about it in the following section about equipment.
If you elect not to purchase early season bow hunting clothing, you at least need to have camo that blends you into the surroundings, which we talk more about next as well. But even more important than camo is the fact that you need to play the wind regardless of the gear you wear. As long as you keep you scent blowing away from the animal, you will be fine. One scent molecule reaches their nose though, and the deer will typically go from lying down to up and running before you can even draw back. Scent has undoubtedly spoiled more stalks and stands than any other factor.
Early Season Bow Hunting Equipment
Do to the fact that early season bow hunting tactics are different than the rest of the year, there are a number of items that you will need that you may not have for other bow hunting seasons. Below you will find a list of items you will want to make sure to have in order to better your chances at a succeffull earl season bow hunt.
Binoculars: Scouting, Stand hunting and Spot and stalk hunting requires you to find the deer. It is amazing how many more deer you can find with the use of binoculars that you would not see otherwise. They also are essential in the stalk as you need to find the deer before they find you, which means using your binoculars to pick out the tip of a horn or the flick of a tail. Of course binoculars are needed throughout the year and one of the most important pieces of equipment a hunter of any type can use.
Rangefinder: Knowing the exact distance to your target is a huge benefit especially when shooting long distances or bow hunting. There are certain specs that you will want in a rangefinder such as angle compensation. You will be shown where you can get a rangefinder with all you need on it later in this article.
Spotting Scope: Both used for spotting deer and then being able to judge them to make sure they are worthy of a stalk. Spotting scopes are also important to find other deer and anything else that can compromise your stalk that is in your intended path. It is very easy to get busted by an animal you did not know existed. Spotting scope are a must have for for all hunting seasons.
Camouflage: With deer vision it is not as important to be the same color as the back ground, but more so to break up your figure. Plus, in typical spot and stalk habitat the foliage can be dry and yellow in grasses, or green in trees and shrubs. Therefore it is important to have a camo pattern that is very versatile. We will discuss the best brands later in the article.
Scent Control Camo: If you will be early season bow hunting, then you will want a camo outfit that offers scent control, but is also light weight and breathable so you do not get hot and sweat, making you scent worse off than if you were to be hunting naked. For this reason, I suggest a scent control that made for warm temperatures. We will talk more about this at the end of the article.
Boots: When stalking deer, it is important to be as quiet as possible. I have taken my boots off and stalked in my sock successfully before, but with cacti and thistle prevalent where I hunt, this is just not doable. Therefore I wear lightweight boots made for stalking to close the final distance to within bow range. They have saved my feet and helped me to be much stealthier.
For all other gear needed to take down big game, be sure to check the menu on the right hand side of this page. The above list of gear is just the basics that will help you to become a successful spot and stalk deer hunter. Only after you spot and stalk deer hunt a few times will you know exactly what works best for you.
The Best Early Season Bow Hunting Tip:
When you are early season bow hunting, in many cases you are out there hunting before most hunters have even bought their tags. That is why the best early season bow hunting tip and tactic I can give you is to just get out there and do it. Aside from the fact that I think this is the best time of year to be out there to score on a big buck or bull, I am usually ready to just get out of town and see some big antlers.
For more information, pictures to with this article, and the specific gear that was mentioned above, follow this link: http://www.BestforHunting.com/?p=768. I hope you can put into practice the early season bow hunting tips (click to view an article on spot and stalk deer hunting) that I have given you. They have worked well for my brother and I, as early bow hunting season is the time of year we enjoy most and when we have done our best.
About the Author
Chris lives in the arid canyon lands of the northwest U.S. where he lives, works and plays in the great outdoors with his family. He owns and operates websites such as www.OnlineFlyFishingGuide.com and www.SnakeProofGear.com
Posted in Deer Hunting Tips Whitetail Deer Hunting Tactics by .
