| 2010 Deer Season |
Here we are again! Finally, deer season is right around the corner and I cannot wait! I am geared up and excited as I think this is going to be a good year and hopefully, when January rolls around, we will have had another safe, successful deer season and walk away with memories that last a lifetime. I have been thinking about what I wanted to write about this year as I tend to write about getting ready for the season rather than the season its self. I truly believe that most of your success will come from what you do before the season gets here rather than from what you do when the season gets here. I am not trying to take away from the importance of all the preparation that goes into a hunt but a good plan prior to the season is imperative in order to be successful.
I think this year I am going to write about scouting an area and how not to spook good bucks while you are in the woods. A lot of hunters spook good bucks and turn them nocturnal long before the season even starts because they did not put as much effort into pre-season scouting as they do when they are hunting, big mistake! It is just as important to control your scent and actions while scouting as it is while you are hunting.Due to the fact that alot of hunters do not take as much care to mask their scent and not spook deer prior to the season as they should, they never really have a chance at harvesting that big buck they found because they have already turned him nocturnal. The only chance they might get at him now, will be during the rut, if you get that chance. It is very important to cover your scent, even while scouting!!
One of my favorite techniques for scouting an area that I am not familiar with is this; I will wait until deer season gets here and get a 5 gallon bucket and go scouting/hunting. I start down a creek long before daylight,(4am-5am) with my little 5 gallon bucket in hand. As I walk down the creek, anywhere that I see a deer crossing, I will get a bucket full of water and throw it up on the bank, That washes the leaves and debris down the creek and also washes any of my scent with it as I am walking down the creek not up the creek. Anyway, it cleans out a good place for me to see tracks. I will continue doing this for about a mile. When I get ready, I will then sit on my bucket and go ahead and hunt that morning, you never know I might just get lucky.When I am done hunting, about 12 noon, I will then start back up the creek. Any where that I see fresh deer tracks is a morning crossing and anywhere I don't see fresh deer tracks is probably an evening crossing. Make sense? Little tricks like this make the difference when you are trying to harvest a good buck. When I use this method, I don't leave any scent as I walked down a creek. I did not spook any deer as I was not seen because i was in the creek below their line of sight.I did not make any noise because once again, I was in the creek. Works huh?
I hope that something I write about will help you be a better hunter and if that is so then I have accomplished my goal. Thanks,
John Garner |
