What one or two important things have you learned this year in deer hunting?

[Doewhacker]

I learned another one last night.

TAKE OFF YOUR DAMN WEDDING RING WHEN YOU GUT A DEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ill be renting a metal detector tonight and going out in the AM.

Oh no, good luck finding it!

[5.9cummins]

Its back on my finger and my @$$ is out of the dog house. 

[HounderEmily]

Don't take the ring off. Wear examination gloves.  

When messing around with wild animal innards its safer anyways. If you take the ring off, you will put it in a pocket, forget about it, and lose it with even less idea of where it might be!

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Its back on my finger and my @$$ is out of the dog house. 

I am glad you found it. I never found mine. I put mine in my pocket while gutting a deer...left it there while we cut them up...walking through a field to my car I reached in to pull out my watch and check how late I was getting home....popped out and I didn't notice until I got home. Metal detector and all....never found it.

[steve863]

I guess if you lose your wedding ring in a gut pile you can always use an excuse on your wife that she isn't feeding you well enough thus your fingers have gotten thinner and the ring slipped right off!  Worth a try anyway. 

 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I guess if you lose your wedding ring in a gut pile you can always use an excuse on your wife that she isn't feeding you well enough thus your fingers have gotten thinner and the ring slipped right off!  Worth a try anyway. 

She wasn't that upset...I was surprised. Her comment was "at least you weren't taking it off in a bar trying to pick some chick up"

God love her...she takes that view about my hunting obsession...she knows I am with family and friends...safe and being good

so  on topic-----I learn I have a great wife ...every season

[Joe Red]

Hey everyone new to the site so hello.I learned that on the last day I hunt to take off the bottom section of my ladderstand so my friend can't go up 2 days later and shoot the only buck that was seen out of it in 7 days.Lol

[132 eight pointer]

I learned that I am a more accurate bowhunter without a headnet.I used a camo neck warmer pulled up over my nose instead.

[ameridear]

1) make sure you have a good hit when you shoot. Short story lost a nice 10 pointer cause shot was not as good as i wanted , ran like a bat out of hell then dropped. after i get to where it dropped atv tracks in and out and no deer.

2) do not track too soon,  as you will push deer and maybe on a property where land owner sits and wait for your harvest . Had eco come in and check things out , but still no deer. worse yet was not even to his property line yet

so now i will be taking the second shot to drop the deer in his tracks

[jimbodwb]

1) I learned how to gut a deer by myself in the woods on the ground and not hanging in the shed with someone helping me.( its much easier hanging)

2)I learned how to skin and butcher a deer.

[arrow nocker]

I learned how to butcher a deer also this year.Kinda winged it.Watched some vids and called my unk.

I learned i only care for archery season any more cause all the slobs that come out of the wood work in gun season.

I learned that sometimes you have to take chances.Sometimes i believe a certian stand will be productive but learned that you never know for sure.Skill can be nothing without pot luck sometimes.Sometimes it is a good choice to just wing it and play the wind with a spot you aren't too comfortable with but might yeild some results.Like just stalking to a spot and crouching behind a bush with the wind to your favor.Instead of just sitting in a "favorite stand".

Movement is a give away.The more i move the less i will see.I learned to just sit as still and quiet as possible.Moving my eyes and just verry slowly moving my head.keeeping everything else as still as possible.

I grunted less also.I listened to the woods.I saw many deer during archery and very seldom heard a grunt.Most of the time i did it was another hunter.I learned that maybe some of my not seeing so much deer in the past was to my ill grunting manner.I tried to bring in unseen deer with a grunt tube.But all the time it is possible i was just making them aware of my presence and pushing them away.

I learned how deer are somewhat repettative to their habbits.They like to travel the same trails but you can't just hunt the trail.During the day they aren't always on the trail.While brousing they seem to meander.Off the trail.So if i am just hunting trails I might not be too satisfied.They may be close to the trail but not close enough to give you a shot.

Tree selection has changed for me somewhat too.I have sat in trees this year i havn't sat in before with my cliber.I mostly passed on them cause the foliage around them was kinda thick.Not being completly confident  shot with the bow i passed on the thicker stuff.I learned that that is were you see the most action.Which is the next main thing i learned.

I learned that being confident with your shot and yardage is verry important while hunting bow.I lost a nice buck this yr cause of it.I am going to practice 3d way more this year even though it is different than a live animal i will be alott more confident and that is what mattters.

I learned that Human pee will stop a doe in her tracks just to smell it.And it don't alarm her.

I learned how much of an impression i make on my little ones when i take them with me hunting.My 10 yr old son is infactuated with the art of hunting.That i am going to get him into 3d shooting with me this yr.My 6 yr old daughter loves to be in the woods and thinks deer are "beutifull"

I learned that i am so gratefull to have a place to hunt behind my house that i don't have to travel hours to get to and can see deer.And have the opportunity to pass on deer before even bagging a first one.It could at any time be the last year i could hunt it.And i learned this yr i am so gratefull to have the opportunity to hunt it.

[arrow nocker]

I also learned that if you don't tell them it is venisen they are eating they have no clue.My 14 yr old daughter won't eat it for her crazy teen girl reasons.Crazy how she will mow down some deer meat when it is in a  sloppy joe or toco or even a steak.

[ameridear]

I also learned that if you don't tell them it is venisen they are eating they have no clue.My 14 yr old daughter won't eat it for her crazy teen girl reasons.Crazy how she will mow down some deer meat when it is in a  sloppy joe or toco or even a steak.

ha that is the same way i got my kids to eat it , now they can't get enough . for the pass few days i heard "dad when are you going to get some venison"  i created monsters  ;D

[First-light]

I should of made this the 4 things you have learned this year, see my Journal about the great and not so great muzzleloader weekend.

[bubba]

I learned not everyone wants to listen to reason and common sense. 

I learned that there are a lot fo fools aout there, and there is a kid in a hospital bed to prove it.

[huntography]

1. New York deer do not like iPhones 20 feet up in the dark. I hear they prefer Blackberries

2. Videotaping other hunters hunting is at times, as fun or more fun than hunting myself.....Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to hunt myself next year again

[Fantail]

Practicing with your Bow from an elevated position pays off.

Practicing with your Bow with a 3-D target pays off.

Practicing with your Bow from an elevated position with a 3-D target pays off.

[Fletch]

1. Persistence pays off.

2. The more comfortable you are the longer you can sit still on watch and the better your chances are. This include you clothes and your seat.

3. Hunting is good for my health. Every year by the end of hunting season I am always at my lowest weight of the year and my stress levels are way down. The outdoors is good for us.

[landtracdeerhunter]

1.  Never stop learning, just when you think you have seen it all, something new comes along. Keep an open mind.  2. Clear you shooting lanes better. Lost a  nice deer to a trig deflection on November 2nd.                                                                                             

[gjs4]

Even though we have a "usual" for snowfall....42" overnight can happen; and if you arent prepared in all ways; your season goes on sebatacle

[genesee_mohican]

I learned that going into the woods before dark and not coming out until after dark (spending all day in the stand) is very enjoyable and big bucks often move at mid day.

[backstrapper]

1. Don't eat too much Venison chili and pickled venison the night before a hunt.

2.  If you eat too much Venison chili and pickled venison the night before a hunt bring more TP then normal.

2a. when driving in seperate trucks in 15 degree weather make sure you lock your truck before using the boys room of a BP at 5am or your hunting buddies in the other truck will turn the AC on high in your truck when you're in the rest room!  ???

[nyantler]

I just had a belly laugh...

[G-Man]

I have learned that i need to keep learning!

[erussell]

1. 5 yrds makes a big difference if your shooting a bow under 300fps

2. no matter how tempting, if you have a dominate buck (big 10 point :'(  ) at 40 yrds chasing his harem of does around do not blow a grunt. He will pack up his girls and move to a more discrete location rather quickly.

3. If someone says a particular pc of state land is devoid of deer check it out its usually loaded.

4. The spot on a creek you decide to cross is always 3 inches deeper than you think it is ( causing very cold feet rest of day)

5. Climbing treestands are the best thing to ever happen to hunting