BUCKANDAQUARTER

I am more worried about stand burnout. I have been out every other day or so weather permitting and haven't sat in the same stand twice. I did see a big, big bodied deer with a fat neck leave a thicket on Saturday night, I didn't go back until this morning. I saw four fresh scrapes in a 20 yard radius in that thicket. I am going to burn myself out holding back on hunting him too hard. I get all fired up seeing fresh sign and have to calm down and remember to alternate stands.

Early I think you make a lot of people want to puke too. However, I can appreciate your stance. BUT... Why do you care so much that people aren't hunting the way you hunt with your ancient compound bow and smooth bore shotgun. If they pay their taxes for their slice of heaven and want to use technology to help them manage their property then so be it. I think having a newer, more accurate, faster bow or gun is great. I'm sure even you can agree that a quick clean kill is best, so if you've got the means why not use the available equipment? If I could afford trail cameras I would gladly have some, I love seeing wildlife. If I could be out there to see everything in the woods I would.

I gotta say I can relate to you here. I struggled early on in my hunting, but I finally came to figure out it was the odd land layout and the wind more than my skills. I had a crash course in scouting from my brother and I was quickly hunting alone on property I had never set foot on before. I still hunted and scouted to find the basics, feeding areas, although the bedding areas took a lot longer (and some snow). I went years before I had finally gotten a mature buck on the land, and it wasn't til after I figured out that I couldn't cheat the prevailing winds. To avoid the wind I had to get permission from an adjacent land owner to walk through her land to get to an isolated patch of white oak a mile in on the land I originally hunted. I went 5 years without getting a good buck, and ever since I cheated the wind I have gotten nice bucks and been able to pass some up too. As MACHINIST said play the wind, boots to the ground in the off season. To start I'd find isolated food source you can get to without getting winded that has some sort of buck sign (old rubs, scrapes) and don't burn it out. I overcomplicated it big time before, still do but have success now. Just my own experience on a difficult piece of land. Best of luck and I'm sure someone will be happy to help.