nybuckboy

I'm feel safe on a good shot out to 35 yds in an open field shot. 25 is where my one pin is set.

Well I set up on the edge, a couple feet just inside the CRP in the middle of some tall goldenrod. Light rain coming down and about 6pm I could barely make out a doe looking up my way just out side the scrub patch where they bed. I watched her on and off with my binos for at least 10 minutes. She never moved an ear. Then I looked again and she was gone. About 10 minutes later I saw her behind me slowly moving toward the field. She entered the field about 60 - 75 yards in the opposite side I expected. She was the only deer that came out. Oh well even the best laid plans don't work out when deer hunting. I'll try again the same plan in a few days maybe in the morning.

All good answers and unless you are retired, we do have to work around our work schedules. I do agree and have always said "ya can't kill a buck unless your in the woods" OR "Ya can't kill a buck sitting on your couch" BUT I do feel there are ways to increase your odds. One is to pattern a particular buck. I did a bowhunt in Illinois in 2009 (Successful by the way - 150inch 8pt). Their hard and fast rule was if you see a buck do something once, it doesn't count; if you see him do a second time it might be a pattern; if he does it a third time it is part of his routine and there is a good chance he has done this most of his adult life. So if you see a buck take the same trail or route twice I would take a chance and move my stand to intercept him. Even during the rut, when he is in between does he may take this route. I have tried to practice this and can say I have deviated from this. I saw a big buck do something once and tried to intercept him all for nothing. I did it yesterday infact. I saw a bruiser take a route across a CRP field at 730am. I knew he was heading for a triangular patch to bed down for the day. The route he took was a line dividing a buchhogged piece and an uncut CRP. I set up in the late afternoon about 35 yards uphill and down wind of the route. I put my son in a treestand at the northwest end corner of the piece. Sure enough he came out on the south side of the piece at 610pm with 2 does. I have seen him come out here mornings but there is no stand sight. Weather permitting, (hard rain then no) I plan to set on the ground next to/behind a bush on the edge of another bushhogged/cut CRP field where I saw him last night and have seen him before. I plan to play the wind and get there about 5:15 and a set up a small folding chair. If he comes out again I think I can get a 25 -35 yard shot in the cut piece. I'll let you know it works out.

I didn't really know how to aske this question but what I am really asking is this. What do you really put stock into as far what you feel is prime days to hunt? Some hunters believe in: always hunts just before a storm front and just after the front moves thru... hunt when it is a light rainy day... hunt by Lunar Tables... etc... hunt overcast days (this is my one true belief)... What are your tried and true beliefs for good days to hunt?

I don't think they like it... I think it may make them avoid b/c they do not want to be harrassed by a buck thinking they smell ripe. JMO

great story... better ending... recovery

They'll be back. The deer are used to coyotes on patrol.

Atta Boy Hondo... thats a fine NY buck. It just shows that if ya pass up a few eventually thier are big ones that will amble by. Nice Job... real nice job!!!

If it's real thick, you will probably have a hard time getting clear shots w/o cutting lanes. That's not a good idea at this point either. I think I would try to get in their mid-day. I would see if I could set up a ground blind in a more open area on the down wind side of a well worn trail that leads into those scrapes about 60 to 75 yards away. Try to set up a small folding tripod chair against a large tree or group of trees and see if you can get blended in with a few branches. Take your time, move very slowly and obviously try to be real quiet. Then sit out the afternoon. Maybe use some doe estrous about 20 yards down the trail in opposite directions and an estrous bleat every hour or so. Just my thoughts. Maybe plan to go back in the morning too.

I have used it... a few times actually... heck I think I've tried a sh/t load of things over the years. Once I used it and had a deer follow me to and around and hang out at the bottom of the tree stand. I had circled back to my ladder stand. I went up the ladder and an hour or so later a doe came along following my trail to the bottom of the stand. It stood there sniffing the second wrung. I could have jumped on it. That being said, I have never had a buck do that. Jury's out but I don't think it spooks them and a friend of mine said he thought it smelled just like the deer hanging in my barn.

Deer Dander... anybody use it?

I'd say we are all due to get a break and we should have some action over the weekend.

Me neither... my son and hunt 7M and no deer at all today from 4pm on, one spike horn Tues from 4pm on. Did see 2 bucks and several doe on last Sat and Sun. But has dried up.

Regarding any of the estrous scents... if a buck is walking down the trail and comes up to the scent I wouldn't count that. BUT if what happened to me, as in... he came thru the woods, not on any trail at brisk pace and stuck his nose on the scent, then that one counts. I can honestly say that is the only absolute time a buck came to any estrous scent I've put out in the past 7 years.

You can reuse them all season. I must admit, I scoffed at them for years and only used the estrous urine in bottles. I tried most of the other stuff like Code Blue, Hunter Specialties, etc and such but all of it breaks down in a short time. The leafs continue to give off scent so I assume they must be a impregnated synthetic scent. I just opened the container I used last year that has an expiration date of March 2010 and it still has some good scent. They work well on rainy days too.

I agree Geno. Just because it's early, I don't think any buck stops and thinks when they smell it... hmmmm this smell seems too early. Its around the time and I think if it smells real... its good to hit. I remember 2 seasons ago, 10 days after the bow season opened, I hung a Wildlife Research yellow estrous leaf out before dawn. I had never really had much luck with estrous scents. I was hardly in my stand, still cooling down with my hood and hat still off. A big rack buck came straight through the woods on a fast walk, not on any trail and walked right over and stuck is nose on the leaf. It happened so fast I couldn't quite get the pin on him before he caught my movement and game over.

Anyone using estrous scent yet? If so, what response have you had, if any?

Sorry about a repost but no one answered my question but many read the post. Maybe I should have asked as a question. Where I am, Southern Oneida County my son has seen a big buck chasin a singe doe Sat morning and I just saw another buck just before dark chasin a doe. The was really booking and the buck saw me as I was walking to my 4 wheeler. Actually was able to coax him into range with a couple of grunts and a wheeze. He was about 25 yards and on edge. I was kneeling down on a 4 wheeler trail and he came through some CPR. I was able to draw back but he blew out on me just as about to settle the pin on him. Game over!!!!

my first bow kill was also lucky 7... an 8pt with a broken off brow tine in 2007.

Where I am, Southern Oneida County my son has seen a big buck chasin a singe doe Sat morning and I just saw another buck just before dark chasin a doe. The was really booking and the buck saw me as I was walking to my 4 wheeler. Actually was able to coax him into range with a couple of grunts and a wheeze. He was about 25 yards and on edge. I was kneeling down on a 4 wheeler trail and he came through some CPR. I was able to draw back but he blew out on me just as about to settle the pin on him. Game over!!!!

I've tried them all but now I stay with Scent Killer brand.

I'll be 57 Friday Oct 15th.

Agree with you Doc but how does a sail boat get back to where it started if the wind blows in the same direction? It has to attack the wind by zig zagging across the wind. I agree that they can't always walk with the wind or in the general direction the wind is blowing but when given the chance they will.

I do believe there is a method to their bedding habits. Yes I too, have noted that the beds all face different directions and have to think it is planned b/c it is always that way. I do not believe it is random. Regarding moving with the wind. They all have to move and face the same direction so it is different. As I said, I'm not saying they are always moving with the wind but if you think about it just makes sense. They can smell from behind... they can see ahead and their hearing works in all directions.

I was sitting on a knob this morning facing east. About 700 yards away fog was moving in a southern direction. About 300 yards closer to me the fog was moving from the west around the knob I was sitting on and turned north. The 5 doe were all walking ahead of the fog and with the wind.