Too late to go in?

[jrussell]

I can't get to my hunting grounds until Sep. 26th. I wanted to go to my stand and take a few practice shots before opening day, do you think being so close to the 1st that I should just stay out of the woods or it doesn't matter all that much?

 

Thanks, 

Justin

[G-Man]

Practice shots from the stand? Just for that stay out of woods, lanes should of been trimmed month or more ago, if you want to shoot elevated put a ladder up and shoot off roof.. neighbors always complain that all the deer seem to leave right before the season, well I tell them 2 weeks before you run around on your atvs,hammer treestands,cut lanes, start a fire, slam truck doors, yell around the cabin, let your dog run around....it's quite at your place all year then bam...I'd leave too....

I do not enter my hunting areas starting after labor day weekend. Every one else pushes the deer to my nice quiet scent free woods....

Edited September 15, 2015 by G-Man

[Nomad]

Myself I would not worry about it. The confidence you get from shooting out of your stand will be worth it.

I still have to cut two trails to two stands, walk all the property checking , replacing, trimming posted signs.

I've moved plenty of stands during the bow season with good results . Good luck shooting !

[Skillet]

I wouldn't go in there that late unless you really need to. Can you just duplicate the height of your stand and shoot in the backyard or somewhere else? Going in there will leave your scent behind, no way to avoid it. I've still got a little trimming to do on two of my stands this weekend, then I'm out of the woods until I hunt. I try to give at least 2 weeks rest to a spot before the season, so I'm already pushing it. That's just me though, I know guys who hang and trim stands in the morning & have killed deer out of them that night.

[jrussell]

Practice shots from the stand? Just for that stay out of woods, lanes should of been trimmed month or more ago, if you want to shoot elevated put a ladder up and shoot off roof.. neighbors always complain that all the deer seem to leave right before the season, well I tell them 2 weeks before you run around on your atvs,hammer treestands,cut lanes, start a fire, slam truck doors, yell around the cabin, let your dog run around....it's quite at your place all year then bam...I'd leave too....

I do not enter my hunting areas starting after labor day weekend. Every one else pushes the deer to my nice quiet scent free woods....

Hey G-Man, I did clear all of my lanes over a month ago. The question is pretty simple, I didn't think it was that crazy to want to take a few more practice shots. Jeeze lol

[grampy]

If you don't HAVE to go in there, then stay out till you hunt. Unless you have multiple sets over a large area. Then possibly you could use a late season set, now, that won't be hunted for quite a while. Good advice already given about just duplicating the shot close to home.

[Nomad]

Most here are passionate about bow hunting and the way they do it , don't sweat it.

Myself I have no trouble killing deer in Bow including my first year in the late '80's when I had zero idea how to bow hunt, did not pay attention to the wind, scent control and so on, one stand which I used every time I went. Killed a buck out of it.

I put practicing out of a stand way ahead of off a roof. On a roof your foot placement is wide like on the ground, there is no trunk to get it the way of your arm if you try to turn, no harness to deal with, you don't learn if the stand makes noise if you move in it etc.

Yes try to have all the work done way ahead of the time, but slipping in and shooting a few arrows is not a big deal to,me. Sure try to be scent free as you can .

It's no different then hunting out of it other then a few shots, something I do,out of each stand each time I hunt it. I always shoot two field points out of my stand, I find it a great confidence builder to,know I can hit that stick or spot on the trail from my stand.

[wooly]

If you think you'll screw an area up before season with one intrusion... then by all means stay out.

You'll have plenty of time to screw things up once season begins while your out there for days at a time.

 

If you're confident in your skill level to be out there at this stage of the game, then it likely wont make much difference once season rolls around.

 

I never could stand the timid approach to scouting or just being in the woods as deer season draws closer.

[WNYBuckHunter]

For me, it all depends on how the land is used. If human activity is normal, like on a working farm, etc, then I dont sweat it. If its land that is normally never touched, then it might cause an issue.

 

 

[phade]

Where the stand is also matters...is it a stand set up for bedding? Food? Trails? Observation/Doe stand?

 

I doubt you screw anything up in most situations unless you are busting into a bedding area, especially if in an antlerless unit where you can't shoot a buck until after the first two weeks of Oct.

 

This year re-writes the "rules" so to speak with the antlerless weeks. We have no idea on how his will affect movement. Will neighbors hunt the same as they do historically or lay off pressure until they can shoot a buck? Will you? Most people are going to be hunting periphery stands to observe and if they encounter a doe, to be able to likely shoot her without much intrusion. It's going to be a lot more outside-in hunting I believe.

[jrussell]

Most here are passionate about bow hunting and the way they do it , don't sweat it.

Myself I have no trouble killing deer in Bow including my first year in the late '80's when I had zero idea how to bow hunt, did not pay attention to the wind, scent control and so on, one stand which I used every time I went. Killed a buck out of it.

I put practicing out of a stand way ahead of off a roof. On a roof your foot placement is wide like on the ground, there is no trunk to get it the way of your arm if you try to turn, no harness to deal with, you don't learn if the stand makes noise if you move in it etc.

Yes try to have all the work done way ahead of the time, but slipping in and shooting a few arrows is not a big deal to,me. Sure try to be scent free as you can .

It's no different then hunting out of it other then a few shots, something I do,out of each stand each time I hunt it. I always shoot two field points out of my stand, I find it a great confidence builder to,know I can hit that stick or spot on the trail from my stand.

It's just about gaining a little more confidence like you said. Thanks for the reply. 

[genesee_mohican]

Every time you go to your stand you leave scent behind. Deer will smell you when they walk by later in the day, or after dark.  After a while they may begin to avoid the area. The first time you hunt the stand is your best chance to kill a deer, especially when it comes to mature bucks. 

 

 

 

[LI OUTDOORSMAN]

In response to your original question I think that most people would feel that the 26th would be too late to go in and start shooting and laying scent on the ground...myself included..

would u screw it up for a doe shot?..probably not...but if you dont see a nice buck out of that stand theres going to be that nagging question in the back of your mind "did I do something here that messed me up?....hmmm............"

I would stay out and practice elsewhere..

[phade]

In response to your original question I think that most people would feel that the 26th would be too late to go in and start shooting and laying scent on the ground...myself included..

would u screw it up for a doe shot?..probably not...but if you dont see a nice buck out of that stand theres going to be that nagging question in the back of your mind "did I do something here that messed me up?....hmmm............"

I would stay out and practice elsewhere..

 

If he sits it between Oct 1 and the end of the second week in the antlerless area, he's going to do more mature buck damage then going in on the 26th for a few minute to shoot a few arrows.

[ants]

 Since they changed opening day to Oct. 1st.I don't even go until well after that. I just can't get into it that early. I am usually still hanging stands and trimming, the first week of Oct. I have the bow on the ATV but I don't actually hunt.

That being said I think you're fine. I have hung stands in the morning and shot bucks out of them the same afternoon.

When you set you stands, wear gloves and rubber boots. When you're done spray down the stand, tree and steps with scent killer. 

[philoshop]

Time in your tree stand is better spent being very quiet and learning about the animals.

Target practice can be done elsewhere. JMHO

Edited September 15, 2015 by philoshop

[growalot]

Well you have to know my stand on this...I have pics of big buck on my cams in areas I am in all the time and within moments of me leaving and area....they all don't dissolve into a puddle at the first smell of humans...it all depends on land usage...here they just do not care if they are local deer...if they are dispersal during the rut whole different story...but we aren't talking then...at camp where no humans are around all bets are off they can spot me if I twitch my nose and the wind is blowing from them to me 20mph...so you decide on what type of land use there is...but stand practice is very important...that's been my practice the last week...though ground sitting practice is # 1 because I have no stands on new land..it's all stump sitting and slow stalking...very glad I have my steady eddie this year.