VT Outfitter

I think that those hunting shows film a hunt first, then film a hunter hunting after the kill. It all to make a show, and I have seen a few over the shoulder hunts that would be exceptions. But for the most part, its for entertainment for hunters viewing and promoting products. I use a mask while in stand until I see a deer that I want to shoot. Then I slide the half mask down and use my bow and gloves for break up. I am not sure why, but I have always squinted my eyes almost shut when getting stared at by a deer or turkey. Maybe it is a reflex to try and calm my nerves to prepare for the shot. I don't know if it even matters, because sometimes if the deer is close enough and I open my mouth, the deer must be able to hear my beating heart from excitement. Gotta love it!

Well said Doc, great information.

Everyone has their confident ways to accomplish the tasks in the woods. For me sneaking through the woods has resulted in spooking more game than getting in undetected, unless I could see the game and choose when to make the small tiny moves to go forward. I cant tell you how many times I have walked up on deer and turkeys in pre season, while I was scouting, just strolling along. My guess has always been that predators sneak, like a bobcat sleeking though the woods after a partridge, while an undisturbed un spooked deer just walks along the trail in a steady pace. I have also practiced a "toe to heel" walk through the woods to sound like a deer moving in the leaves. It works for me, but if you don't have confidence in a technique regardless of what it is, you should find your own way that works for you.

Have a trip of a life time, and good luck!

I agree totally. On approach to stand, try to sound like another critter you have heard in the woods, like a raccoon. They make a lot of rustling in the leaves, but notice that they don't snap twigs. So when setting stands or moving stands, I try to remove as many branches off my walking trail as I can. Also, when I plan out setting stand site, I take in account the prevailing wind and deer trails and food destinations and bedding areas to find the best way to get in the area undetected. I use aerial photos to help do this. Then I go in to the area to find the tree to use for stand. Going in early way before sunrise I found helps let the woods calm back down. Deer will always hear you if they are 100 yards away and bedded down on a very quiet morning. But lots of noises happen in the dark, so it is possible to fool them. I wish you luck this season!

Those that would defending the sale of illegal bait products in local stores with big buck packaging, are without a doubt, one of these three things. 1. A poacher that baits with these products because they don't know any other way. 2. Someone that is a hunter, but not for deer, and could care less about deer hunting. 3. An anti hunter, that will support anything leading to breaking hunting laws, even if its a back door sneaky move.

The corn, soybeans, clover, alfalfa, potatoes and many other crops that have been feed for deer for the last few centuries are not a natural crop, we planted every bit of it.. Here in VT, the cutting of forest for lumber and fire wood has radically declined in the last 50 years. Resulting in a drastic decrease in natural deer food of forest regrowth. So many very large farms that planted thousands of acres of crops have disappeared in Vermont too. So as hunters and conservationists we plant feed for them, we clear property to have different age forest growth for food and bedding, all because we care about the future of our deer herd. Yes we shoot deer that feed in the food plots, but due to legal limits on harvest in every state, there are many more deer that directly benefit from our efforts than what ends up on the table. If there were never any crops planted or forest management for human benefit ever in history, the deer and other wild game would be endangered species. I know that I am not the only conservationist hunter that plants food plots just for winter feed and never hunts that area. I plant brassica mixes here in VT that the deer really only utilize after the deer seasons have ended as freezing temps are what makes this plant appealing to deer. Bottom line, poachers, that only care about killing for their own personal gain, bait deer with the products that are being discussed in this post during deer season. The true sportsman are planting food plots to help promote the success of the deer in their area all year and for future deer generations to come. So, really, legalities aside, you see no difference between planting crops for hunting for all year food sources, and dumping a pile of corn for two weeks of season?

You can get some great info and updates on this forum, good group of people on here eager to share knowledge.

I know it a lot of work, but you can use a good size grass trimmer with heavy duty line on it so you can weed wack you paths. I like using a trimmer cause I can cut back limbs and leaves on the sides of the trails to keep them open. Obviously driving a tractor with a bush hog would be much less labor, but if you have to rent it then transport it then maybe a day of sweating with a trimmer might be worth it to you. I have also seen chain saw blades you can put on the head of the trimmer for small trees, but I have never used one.

It is amazing that such a big animal can move through the loudest piece of woods without making so much as a leaf crackle. Very cool critters to watch for sure. I never saw this bear in the woods, but I was watching for him.

I have hunted since I was 12 years old with a Marlin lever action 35 rem. I love this rifle. Short and maneuverable through the bush, and plenty of bullet weight to push through thick brush. I heard the nick name "pumpkin chucker" a few times, I guess for the round size and the velocity. 44 caliber I guess would be the big brother to the 35. I wouldn't expect to shoot past 100 yards by much with either of them, but for short range its devastating to a deer. I am sure there are other calibers that would do just as good a job. In a nut shell, I guess you should consider the terrain your hunting and match your weapon to it. Thick brush at fairly close range out to say 100 yards, 44 cal is a great choice. Open clear cuts or farm fields shooting out to 300 yards maybe 300 win mag would work better, just my opinion mind you.

I would say the chances are getting better every year. We have had a bear population explosion here in Vermont in the last five years. 10 years ago in Benson, the town I live in, a bear sighting was very rare. Two years ago there were 7 bears shot during season in the Benson area and I had trail camera photos of a big boar right behind my house. This year the town of Killington, the ski mountain area, bears are tearing into camps and vehicles looking for food, I would guess. You used to have to climb to the top of the mountains in Vermont to find bear sign, now in some towns you have to look before you walk out on the deck. Anyone heard reliable information about what has happened to see such a boom in the bear population?

Awesome catch! I actually have family in Kotsabue (unsure of the spelling) and Anchorage, though I have never been able to visit for a vacation. I have heard some wicked fishing stories about the salmon and halibut. I guess those halibut can get giant size and pull on a rod like no other fish of that weight class. Sounds like a fishing dream vacation to me, maybe some day....

I too hand cut all of my deer, I have never paid a butcher to fully process a deer. I am very particular with my steak cuts, fat content, silver skin ect...plus its a good thing to know how to literally put meat on the table, so showing my kids how I cut up a deer is rewarding. Though in the last five years or so, since my grinder burned out, I found a awesome butcher that grinds the meat up for me. I bring him cleaned up cubed venison and seasoning (I like breakfast sausage), the butcher grinds it up and packs it in 1 lb round freezer bags, and he does it for .48 cents per pound. That makes one less thing I have to clean up after or make time for, so doing this works for my needs.

Great info, thank you. And I agree, baiting is definitely below poaching. It is not so much the unfair advantage that upsets me, as much as the violators getting categorized as a "hunter" breaking the law on the news, which is insulting to the true sportsman everywhere.

Good point Four Season Whitetails, but your operation has a legal and legitimate reason to purchase those products. I don't know many deer farmers, and I can only imagine that most of the Bass Pro products are being used for illegal means of taking wild game. All of the dairy farmers have big grain company trucks deliver mass quantities directly to their farm. They don't go to tractor supply or bass pro for feed. My point I guess is that most of those products are marketed to the deer hunter with pictures of big bucks on the wrapper. There are states in the U.S. and abroad that baiting is legal. But I know personally that VT is not a place where it is ok to put out bait at anytime regardless. Yet it is sold in the shops all over the state of VT.

Honestly, I have never hunted for raccoon with or without hounds. My Dad went with some friends of his way back in the day with hounds. I have always wanted to try it with hounds, but it is not as popular as it once was apparently. I have 4 beagles that I run rabbits with and that is a lot of fun. I guess raccoon hunting with hounds is done at night, which is the appeal to me I think. Not many critters you can legally chase at night. Sounds fun to me.

It is an illness, suffered by many, understood by few. The only treatment is to sit in solitude in a tree stand or with another sufferer of this affliction. There is no known cure, though there is speculation that relentless purchase of hunting equipment would alleviate some of the symptoms, the results are inconclusive. The first step is admitting you have a problem, a difficult task for some, impossible task for most of us in the early stages of development, becoming easier as time go's on. My name is Fred, and I am a Deer Hunting Addict......

There is not one hunter out there that hasn't heard of baiting being illegal. It is plastered all over the DEC booklets, the state websites, and even on the products you buy, "check your local regulations" or straight point blank BAITING IS ILLEGAL in print. It is crazy that these places sell corn and such in a state that is illegal with a big deer pic on the bag. And your right JJB4900, those guys dressed in camo just before or during season buying this bait really gets me angry. I do things the legal, honorable way as a sportsman should, patterning the deer and putting my blood and sweat into the hunt. These guys just sit over bait and kill deer. Top it off, they drive around town bragging of their abilities of a hunter only leaving out the bait pile part of the conversation. What's sad is that for the same money as buying a deer feeder machine and keeping it full of corn, you can plant a very nice food plot for the same money, but food plots are completely legal.

I take clients every season that have never shot a deer before. I guide for a lot of young hunters and adults that are new to hunting. I also guide for veteran hunters that just don't have time to scout, set up stands, set up trail cameras, plant spring and fall food plots, cut shooting and hiking trails. So, all the hard work is finished before they arrive. Which leaves the exciting work of hunting the deer to be done. As I said, I will never ask a client not to shoot a deer that they have a legal tag for, just because of someone elses definition of a trophy is different than theirs. If it is a legal game, they have the right tag, and it is a safe ethical shot it is up to the hunter to choose to shoot or not. You and I grew up hunting, so it is second nature for us to go to any piece of woods and find deer to shoot. But for someone that was never shown how to hunt or doesn't have a place to go, it seems at times to be an impossible task. I really enjoy helping people by giving them the opportunity to experience a great day of hunting and fishing without the stress of all the work that goes into it. Vermont law has been 2 point on one side for quite some time, which eliminates spike bucks and promotes shooting 2 year old bucks and older. I make them aware of the law and let them make the decision for themselves. Good luck to you this season!

Trophy is always in the eye's of the beholder. That is a great buck for his age. Good luck to you this season!

I am very partial to Scent Blocker myself, especially the wind Blocker line. Light weight clothing with fleece underneath plus the wind protection, I stay pretty comfortable in stand down to the freezing mark.

The term "trophy" has seemed to have changed radically in the last 35 years. What once was a great 6pt buck that was hunted hard for and developed into a memory cherished forever with a story to share, to be proud of a successful hunt, meat on the table, and antlers on the den wall has now turned into "is it as big a buck as my neighbor got" or "how many inches is it" or "how old is it". I believe and practice sound management on my properties with regards to food sources (natural & planted), the carrying capacity, antler growth, and age. But I would never ask a hunting client to not shoot a buck because it is not old enough or the antlers aren't big enough. If it is legal to kill, they have the proper tag, and it is a ethical and safe shot, and it is a trophy to that hunter then it is a trophy in my book. That said, for those hunters of many seasons who have killed their fair share of whitetails, and are entirely focused on shooting only a very mature buck, then your description of what to look at when trying to quick judge a buck is right on the money. But, in my opinion (which is all my reply is) and what I instruct my hunting clients of any kind, is to consider to not pass up shooting an animal on the first morning that you would be happy to kill the last afternoon of the hunt.

Such a exciting time of year, getting those first few trail camera pic's of what could be in front of your stand this fall. I am looking forward to season. Awesome pic's!

Nice photos. Sometimes those hard to get to spots hold some great hunting, good luck to you this fall!